Myths about food when it comes to exercise

There are some myths that may be holding you back from exercising to your fullest potential. Eating smart can help improve your energy levels to an exponential amount! How does eating benefit you when exercising? You are going to be quite surprised by how much of a role eating actually has.

 One myth that is commonly mistaken for a fact is to only eat proteins after a workout. While people put a great emphasis on consuming proteins right after a workout, the job isn’t complete without healthy carbs.  Protein is vital for building and maintaining muscle, yes, but you also need those good carbohydrates.

Another myth to forget about: It’s better to exercise on an empty stomach. You can’t drive a car if its fuel tank is empty! You won’t have the desired effect if you work out on an empty stomach. To have plenty of energy to burn, eat a well-balanced meal three to four hours prior to exercising. But if you are running late and are in a rush, grab a sensible snack that you have time to digest.

 Myth to forget about: If you have to exercise early in the morning, skip breakfast. This is a humungous ‘NO!’ If your schedule prevents you from getting a workout in any time except for early in the mornings, grab something light like a banana or handfuls of dry cereal. That will be enough to give your metabolism a kick start and help you get a better work out compared to a workout after skipping breakfast.

Myth to forget about:  Drinking caffeine before your gym session will give you the energy boost you need! That is not the case. Don’t mistake that temporary burst of energy – that will most likely go away quickly- for fuel. The only energy that you can burn in a workout would come from food.

Myth to forget about: Drinking liquids has no effect on your energy level. It is actually quite the opposite! One of the leading causes of fatigue is not being hydrated properly. You can become dehydrated with even a moderate exercise routine if you do not drink enough fluid to replace what you lose on a daily basis. Take the necessary precautions to prevent dehydration by drinking fluids before, during, and after tiring activity.

Some people take these myths to be facts but what they don’t know is that these myths have consequences, unfortunate consequences.

We all want things that are cheap

We all want foods that aren’t expensive. (Those of us that are on a budget that is.) When we think of cheap foods our minds automatically gravitate towards unhealthy foods. Usually when we see $2.70 in our wallet, we make our way over to a fast food restaurant. By heart we know exactly what that $2.70 entitles. Who is guilty of this? I know for a fact there are quite a few people out there that have this way of thinking!  So for those that are “balling on a budget”, here are some tips to eating healthy without wiping out your wallet.

Buy whole foods. Unprocessed foods are cheaper and way healthier than processed foods. For those of you who watch “Restaurant Impossible” we all now Chef Irving hates processed foods. He looks down upon restaurants that receive their ingredients out of a box. His praises go out to those who get their foods fresh.  Buying whole foods gives you total control over the ingredients you put in your meal.

Buy cheap proteins.  To build and maintain muscle, you need 1g protein per pound of body weight per day. Consuming a meal that has whole protein within helps fat loss seeing as protein has a high thermic effect compared to other foods. It’s recommended to keep the steak and salmon for special occasions and instead buy:

-Eggs

-Milk

-Whey

-Mackerel

-Tuna

-Hormone free chicken

-Cottage cheese, etc.

Buy fruits and vegetables while they are in season. Buying fruits and vegetable in season can lower the cost and add to the freshness! “What if I don’t use them all right away?” If this is one of your concerns, buy some that still need time to ripen. They won’t go bad as quickly.

Stay away from convenience foods. Now by this I mean frozen dinner foods: vegetables that are pre-cut, grits, oatmeal, and instant rice. These foods will cost you more than if you were to make them from scratch! Bring out your inner chef and cook with fresh ingredients!  

When you are on a tight budget, preparing appetizing healthy meals might seem a bit daunting. You might shy away from making delicious and healthy foods due to the hole it’ll burn in your wallet. Being able to overcome the obstacle that is a budget depends on your shopping skills and access to different types of foods. Play with the idea of using coupons. Cooking on a budget is always easier with a little planning, creativity, and work. Just consider this: eating healthy comes with so many rewards- better health and more money. Come on now, we all want more money! Where there is more money there is certainly effort that is worth exercising! Eat healthy and save money; always a great combo.