June 18, 2022
“Eat like a king at breakfast,a prince at lunch and a pauper at dinner.”
Remember that old chestnut?
Well, modern science has shaken up conventional wisdom about when it’s best to eat — particularly for those of us who exercise.
Call it “the bubble of consumption.” It surrounds us roughly two to three hours pre - and post-workout. It turns out that we get more bang for our workout buck if we consume nutrient quality calories during the periods before and after we hit the gym.
And what happens if you skip healthy meals or snacks when you’re in the bubble?
Simply put, you don’t reap all the benefits of your hard work.
Eating for Performance and Recovery
Fueling your muscles before a workout gives you energy to get through it. It improves your performance, lessening the risk of injury and increasing your ability to recover quicker.
What’s more, if you’ve eaten before exercising you won’t feel depleted once you’re done, so you avoid the temptation to overeat or make poor food choices.
You’re just as wise to eat after a workout. During that period, your muscles are primed for nutrients that stimulate their repair, strength and growth.
When you consume low- or no-fat meals and snacks that are rich in protein and carbohydrates, you’ll find that you’re less sore after working out and better able to maintain — and build — muscle.
Timing Your Meals and Snacks for Best Results
Although we all have different workout regimens and fitness goals, here are a couple of basic principles for when to eat in your personal bubble:
1. Have a meal two to three hours before training and a snack 10 to 40 minutes before.
2. Have a snack immediately after training and a meal within one to two hours.
Of course, you may feel like you’re already putting enough effort into what you eat.
Now you have to time your calories, too?
If it seems like too much effort, consider this:
The most common excuse people make for not exercising is that they just don’t have time for it.
You’ve set aside time to exercise. When you also plan to eat right — at the right time —
you’ll take your fitness to the next level, with results you can see.
June 18, 2022
Any trainer will tell you that what you put into your body is just as important as the workouts you put it through. Diet plays a major role in heart health, so check out our list of foods that give your cardiac system exactly what it needs.
1) Berries
Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries are full of antioxidants that your body craves! Eating berries is also associated with lower systolic blood pressure and reduced inflammation. The Catalyst shake to try: Berry Berry Good
2) Greens
Kale and spinach are full of vitamin K, which protects your arteries and helps clotting, and high in nitrates, which can reduce blood pressure and improve blood cell function. The shake to try: Tender Greens
3) Beets
Low in calories, high in nutrients, and youeither love or hate the actual taste. Beets are highly concentrated withnitrates, which can lower blood pressure, and can also increase athleticperformance by improving your oxygen use and time to exhaustion. You can’t “beet”that. The shake to try: Red Velvet
4) Avocados
Smashed on toast, chopped on a salad or ground into guacamole, avocados have become America’s sweetheart. Full of the “good”fats and potassium, avoca-don’t skip adding this to your diet. The shake to try: I Love Veggies
5) Grains
Carbs are not the enemy here. Whole grains, besides being high in fiber and helping to reduce cholesterol, can also aid in reduced blood pressure. Some of our favorites are quinoa, barley and rye. The shake to try: Cracker Jax
6) Nuts and Seeds
While all nuts are not created equal, some are incredibly nutrient-dense. Walnuts are another great source of those “good”fats, as well as being packed with fiber. Almonds are high in nutrients (as wellas overall calories, so portion control is key), and full of fiber. For seeds, many contain essential amino acids that your body needs. Chia, hemp and flax are some of our favorites, and all help support healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels. The shake to try: Banana Nut Blast
7) Dark chocolate
You didn’t think we’d leave this off the list,did you? 'Tis the season to indulge in this heart-healthy treat, which is loaded with antioxidants and lowers the risk of heart disease. We can’t think of anything sweeter than that. The shake to try: Chocolate Frosty
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare.
