The Importance of Eating Well to Stay Motivated!
Do you ever feel like you just can’t face the gym after lunch or work, even though you are fully committed to getting into shape?
Do you feel exhausted at the thought of facing the treadmill? The answer to your feeling of tiredness and lack of motivation could be as simple as reassessing your diet.
If you find that you are skipping meals in an attempt to save on calories, then you are starving yourself of necessary fuel for your workout.
While dropping meals may be a quick fix to a flatter stomach, this can leave you feeling fatigued, irritable and not focused. The knock on effect of this is that you will be more inclined to forgo your trip to the gym, go home, stretch out on the couch and watch TV all evening.
If you stick to some simple and sensible dietary practices throughout your day, you will be sure to complete your workout at the gym. The result of this will have you feeling more energised and refreshed.
Leanne and Fitness Tips Say:
Stay with feel-good foods
It is important to keep sugar levels in the blood at a stable level to prevent ups and downs. This will keep you motivated to exercise and keep your energy levels where they need to be. How to do this best is to eat a series of small meals throughout the day. This can be as many as five or six meals that are made up of complex carbohydrates, such as whole grain breads, beans and other vegetables, whole grain crackers and fruit. Planning ahead is key so you can easily pack simple snacks and meals and take them to work.
Refined carbohydrates like potato chips, donuts and cookies may give you an initial boost, but your energy will drop pretty quickly will your mood.
Cut the caffeine
Many people rely on that morning coffee to get them up and going. It is important to remember though, that caffeine affects the amount of insulin, and therefore sugar, in your blood. Further to this, caffeine can cause dehydration, which is known to sap you of energy levels.
You’ll keep your motivation to exercise if you…
- Have a glass of juice to boost your energy before a morning workout.
- Eat a breakfast containing whole grains and fruit or fruit juice.
- Eat frequent small meals and snacks during the day to maintain your blood sugar.
- Make sure to have a light, healthy snack an hour before your noon or afternoon workout.
- Stay hydrated, keep a bottle of water at your desk always. Limit, or eliminate the amount of caffeine in your diet.
