How to Elevate Your Fitness Level to the Next Step
Nutrition
At the core of any training plan should lie nutrition. Eating enough and the appropriate foods will provide your body with energy for workouts as well as recovery fuel that will enable you to build strength and resilience over time. While specialised sports nutrition may provide an edge, prioritising high quality whole foods is key in order to get all of the essential vitamins and minerals required for healthy performance.
Consume Lean Proteins
Eating enough lean proteins such as chicken and fish is crucial to building muscle effectively. Make sure that you vary your sources of protein so as to obtain an array of amino acids from various sources.
Healthy Fats
Nuts, seeds, and olive oil provide energy during workouts while aiding recovery afterwards. Plus, healthy fats help regulate hunger levels for sustained energy throughout the day!
Complex Carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates provide energy for long-lasting workouts and recovery. Sweet potatoes, oatmeal, and quinoa all contain complex carbs which will sustain you through multiple workouts and allow for sustained energy for extended periods.
Fruits & Vegetables
Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables is important to provide your body with essential vitamins and minerals while also helping you feel full. They’re also an excellent source of dietary fibre which supports digestive health.
Whole Grains
Eating complex carbohydrates such as whole grains will give you the energy boost necessary before workouts and help provide lasting energy throughout your training sessions. In addition, these complex carbs help control hunger levels and can serve as an excellent source of dietary fibre.
Timing Your Meals and Snacks
Timing your meals and snacks correctly can have a dramatic impact on performance. Consuming appropriate nutrition before, during, and post workout will help you reach your goals more quickly with less fatigue. Also try spacing out meals throughout the day – eating every three or four hours should keep energy levels up.
Training
No matter which sport or fitness discipline you strive towards, a structured training plan is crucial for reaching success. To begin your plan, identify which area of fitness most aligns with your goals – be it strength, mobility, speed or endurance – then create an exercise regimen focused on strengthening that area. Be sure to schedule rest days into your plan to allow your body to recover properly, and document progress with a fitness journal or app.
