Post Workout Nutrition

This week I decided to make the most of a free pass at my boyfriend’s super posh gym. Despite my religious faith in yoga-lates, I didn’t think it would hurt to sample a few new exercise classes...

I'm still shaking slightly from this morning's 'body-pump' and as for yesterday's spinning class... Is this pain whenever I sit down normal!? If you are motivated by others around you, then a spin-class may be for you. I am glad I tried it, but I felt like I had undergone a session of torturous punishment as I wobbled out...which does not quite compare to the profound serenity of a post-yoga glow!

Anyway, dedicated to all you gym bunnies, here are a few important nutritional pearls to wise-up to in order to reap the most from your pumping, toning, and undignified sweating in public...

Eat a LIGHT meal a couple of hours before you exercise, which balances a slow release carbohydrate like rye bread or brown rice, with a little protein source such as an egg, lean meat or fish. Add a vegetable portion and you're good to go!

It is important to eat a well-balanced meal within an hour of your workout. It is absolutely crucial that this post-gym meal contains a good protein source. Your muscles undergo rather a beating during your flexing and pumping, and ache for some TLC ASAP! So feed them some replenishing 'building blocks' in the shape of amino acids (these are the little gems that make up proteins.) So if you want great tone a la Aniston, think PROTEIN!

If you don’t have time, whey or soya-protein shake with some berries or banana mashed in is a great idea. But make sure you get a good quality protein powder. There are so many on the market now - feeding the pumped-up craze - that many are packed full of sugars and chemicals that will simply undo all your hard work. Look at the ingredients, and ask for assistance. You want a high-protein shake, with no added sugar and strictly no aspartame. In all good health shops, there will be someone there to advise you – make sure you tell them what you want to achieve from your workout, i.e. to tone up, slim down or bulk up.

Avoid those sugar packed sports drinks and instead take a flask of mineral water with you to keep you hydrated during your stint. Ensure that you are well hydrated BEFORE your work out!! For post work-out refreshment try coconut water: super hydrating and naturally rich in potassium and other essential minerals to help replace all those lost electrolytes that are dripping down your forehead and off your eyelashes, smudging your mascara! An organic vegetable stock drink like Bouillon is great for post-workout refreshment as well, as it contains plenty of mineral nourishment to hydrate and soothe.

Now whatever you do, Do NOT over-exercise! Despite its many health and beauty boosting benefits, the process of exercise is a strain on the body and causes the release of free-radicals. So keep stocked up on anti-oxidants to combat any damaging radicals, and remember the importance of rest days! Your muscles develop tone on your duvet days don’t you know! So stock up on your favourite box-sets and indulge in some TLC every once in a while, with lots of nourishing treats!

SERIOUS ATHLETES TAKE NOTE: For their heart-pampering and energy enhancing properties try supplementing with good Q10 and L-Carnitine supplements. Q10 can become pro-oxidant after intensive exercise, so always combine with vitami
C, E and flavonoids.

And make sure that you are always gorging on antioxidant rich bites to help to combat the damaging omnipotent free radicals. Eat lots of colourful fruits and vegetables, sip green tea, and it may be worth looking into a good quality multi-vitamin and mineral supplement. Remember you get what you pay for though, so no popping into Poundland for your nutritional needs OK!

Finally, after a heavy workout, send your hard-worked muscles some love, by diving into an Epsom salt bath. Epsom salts contain rich levels of calcium and magnesium which nourish your muscles and really help to relax you too. So float off to bed after one of these bathroom bliss-outs, for that early night that you’ve been promising yourself for weeks.