A healthy lifestyle, including proper nutrition, should be at the forefront of everyone’s mind. This is especially critical if you’re an athlete. If you have an active lifestyle, exercise regularly, or engage in sports, it is necessary to fuel your body in a way that will help you keep up with your high performance – both during activity, as well as during recovery. Here are 6 nutritional counseling tips that can help you maintain good health while being active.
Don’t Skip the Carbohydrates
It seems like all someone has to do is mention the word carbohydrate and people are afraid to gain weight. However, all evidence provided by nutritional counseling suggests that carbs are not to be feared. In fact, they are essential to maintaining optimal energy. Part of the problem is that carbs are associated with bread and pasta, which people associate with weight gain. However, you can get good carbs that will help fuel your body for hour-long workouts by eating fruits, whole grains, vegetables, and nuts.
Stay Hydrated
With any type of physical activity, your body will produce sweat. That means your body is losing water. And if it’s losing water that means it needs to be replenished. It’s vital that you replace what is lost so that you don’t end up getting dehydrated. Make sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day. It’s important to keep everything in your system healthy and working smoothly. Also, don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink because that means you’re already showing signs of dehydration. Make sure to keep drinking a steady stream of water throughout the day.
Get That Protein
Protein may not provide energy the way carbohydrates do, but if you ask a clinical nutritionist, they will tell you that it is essential to building muscle. The key is to eat high-quality protein from lean sources. Concentrate on poultry, fish, lean meats, eggs, and nuts. Just be careful not to eat too much because it can wreak havoc on your kidneys.
Make Sleep a Priority
Most people lead busy lives and find that there aren’t enough hours in a day to get everything done. Rather than cut down on their commitments, the most common solution for most, is to cut down on sleep. This is one of the biggest mistakes people can make. Even if you drink plenty of fluids and eat a healthy diet, you won’t have the energy requirements to function at your highest capacity. You also won’t have the required stamina to power through your workouts. Get the proper amount of rest so that you can show up in your life in a big way.
Don’t Skip Breakfast
Yes, we’ve all heard it a hundred times…breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Ask your mom, a clinical nutritionist, or even your neighbor, and they’ll all tell you the same thing. That’s because it’s true. It’s important to eat something in the morning to break the fast that happened during your sleep hours. It also provides you with the energy to get through your day. You need that fuel to keep going strong. This is true for everyone, but especially for athletes.
Book a Nutritional Counseling Appointment
Following the above tips will get you on your way to proper health and nutrition. However, it never hurts to speak to a professional. If you live in San Antonio and you’re an athlete, want to start an exercise program, or even just want to lead a healthier lifestyle, it’s never a bad idea to consult a clinical nutritionist. Nutritional counseling can help you set goals and provide you with a clear path on how to achieve them. If this is something you’re interested in investigating further, schedule an appointment with us at San Pedro North Chiropractic Center. We’d love to help you get your nutritional goals on track.