In addition to your regular sweating sessions in the gym, take some diet advice from top athletes: eat good quality food spread throughout the day in smaller but more frequent meals, adjusted to the type of your workout and overall caloric needs. It’s fine to listen to your body and eat when hungry, but make sure to eliminate all unhealthy food cravings – managing them is not enough if you’re truly serious about your fitness goals!
1. Fresh juice
Green is the color of health, right? Drink a healthy and filling green juice as soon as you wake up. Or even better, after a powerful morning workout! For example, combine half an apple, half a cucumber, some spinach and mint leaves, a bit of ginger and half a lemon, blend until smooth and enjoy.
2. High-protein breakfast
Regarding the breakfast, go simple and nutritious: prepare a tasty egg scramble with 2-3 eggs, mushrooms, spinach, asparagus and some other veggies of your choice. Eggs are among the healthiest and most nutritious foods on the planet – they keep you full and provide your muscles with the much needed fuel.
3. Seasonal vegetables and fruits
Studies have shown that some crops can have up to three times more nutrients when grown in their appropriate season. After all, seasonal vegetables and fruits don’t have to endure as much travel as the other ones, which enables them to keep their vital nutrients longer as well. And maybe most importantly, they taste SO much better! Buy some of your favorite fruits and veggies and make a big colorful salad for lunch.
4. More nuts!
Nuts are the ultimate mid-afternoon snack and almonds are among the healthiest of tree nuts with their abundance of vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, potassium, proteins and fibers. A handful of unsalted almonds a day promotes heart health and prevents weight gain.
5. Dairy products
Diary products are a must for athletes mainly because of their protein-richness. Goat’s milk is a great option for those of you who are lactose intolerant or just don’t like cow’s milk all that much – it has a lot of easily digestible fats and proteins while containing less cholesterol than cow’s milk.
6. Fish
Fatty fish, such as salmon and sardines contain a great amount of omega-3 fatty acid, which is important for maintaining heart health and reducing inflammation all over the body, including the muscles. This makes fish crucial for faster muscle recovery and repair and enhanced immune system. Fish is also an excellent source of protein, vitamin B-12 and iron – what other reasons do you need to include it more often in your diet plan?
