Less Sore? Eat more!

This is another tip I love. Anything about eating more for a good reason gets the thumbs up in my book. I usually do not eat 2-3 hours before a workout for a few reasons. One is just plain common sense: All that jumping around makes the food not settle so well and I get nauseous. Secondly, I've read that your body burns the calories you've just eaten rather than the stored stuff you want to burn (i.e. fat). So, usually it is fairly late by the time I come home from the most fantastic exercise class on the planet (ZUMBA). This is the perfect set up to overeat if you let it be. DON'T. Plan ahead. Know exactly what you will eat and how much. When you get home, do an assessment. Am I really hungry? If you are, great, follow my advice on what to eat that follows. If you're not, eat just a small portion of whatever you planned just to reap the benefits of less muscle soreness and boosted muscle building and metabolism revving. Studies have shown that eating within 30 minutes of exercising help prevent your body from breaking down muscle tissue in order to replenish itself. The perfect thing to eat after work out would be about 400 calories with 20-30 grams of protein. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or a SMALL bowl of pasta with meat sauce fits the bill. That sounds good! Top if off with a large glass of iced water with lemon and you're good to go. Just make sure your portion is correct. If you are not hungry, go for a glass of low fat milk. Studies have shown that milk re hydrates your body better than water after a workout because it has electrolytes and potassium.

SORENESS: Personally I like being a bit sore a day or two after a workout so I know I pushed myself. But, for beginners, it can be a little too much of a reminder of how out of shape you really are! OUCH! If you exercise in the a.m., caffeine has been shown to reduce muscle soreness more than pain relievers. Also, papaya and pineapple have bromelain and papain, enzymes help break down proteins for digestion bur also have anti-inflammatory properties to help speed up your post workout recovery (Information in this blog segment provided by Eat This, Not That!)