Hello friends!  We took last week off from our weekly tips.  This week we are back and stronger than ever!  Speaking of strong, are you interested in hearing about what you can do to assist your body before and after sports, exercise, or movement? We are going to look at what things you can do to help increase performance before activity.  We are also going to talk about what you can do to help avoid muscle soreness after you have worked your butt off!

BEFORE MOVEMENT

It is important to prepare your mind and body for any type of activity that will increase heart rate, muscle movement, or exertion. This can mean exercise, gardening, painting, yoga, etc. If you are prepared for increased activity the body will recover quickly and more efficiently.  It is amazing how helpful mother nature is!

PHYSICAL/MENTAL PREP

Every cell in your body has the ability to send and receive messages.  Before any activity, pause and check in with your body.  Tell yourself what you are about to do and what you need in order to do it.  This can create a mindfulness that will help avoid strain or possible injury.  Add in a few deep breaths for good measure!

FOOD

They say that you shouldn’t eat right before you workout but you need fuel to burn!  What IS important is to know your own body, when it feels right to eat for you and know what is clean food for energy.

Protein shakes are a great way to give your muscles and body what it needs to move.  There are many options of protein shakes to choose from– whey (dairy based) or plant based proteins.  Some proteins come with greens or more ingredients that can act as a meal replacement. You can throw in extra veggies or berries for added nutrients and blend it all together.  Eating healthy fats prior to working out can be highly beneficial too!  like– avocados, walnuts, almonds, coconut, etc.  You can also add MCT oil or Flax Seed Oil to a protein shake to add some healthy fat for energy and endurance!

SUPPLEMENTS

Why not give your body support and try supplements to help avoid muscle fatigue/soreness, injury, and boost endurance!  There are a lot of pre-workout powders to add to protein shakes but these often contain artificial STUFF in them.  The active ingredient is usually caffeine.  Bypass the junk and try taking green tea extract in capsule form or add matcha (green tea powder) to your shake!

Try taking Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) before any type of weight training to help prevent muscle strain and soreness.  BCAAs are three different amino acids– valine, leucine and isoleucine.  These specific amino acids are delivered to the muscles instead of being digested in the liver.  This is why they are helpful to aid the muscles and prevent soreness.

Beets can be fantastic for dilating the blood vessels which will increase blood flow along with increasing endurance! Add a scoop of beet crystals to your water or protein shake.

AFTER MOVEMENT

Being prepared for the movement is just as important as decompressing after the excursion. This can make ALL the difference in recovery.

PHYSICAL/MENTAL RECOVERY

Doing some light stretching can be helpful after exercise.  This will help elongate the muscles and help them from tensing up.

FOOD

Compliment all that movement with nutrient dense food to prevent an achy body!  Foods with sulphur can help give nutrients to all your tissues like broccoli, kale, cabbage or brussel sprouts.  Protein is key as well.  You can complement your vegetables with your choice of protein rich food!  You can also have a protein shake for a quick and needed dose of protein!  Eating pineapple can help lower the chance of inflammation after strenuous movement due to the enzyme bromelain.

SUPPLEMENTS

Supplements can be a game changer for post workout recovery.  The less sore that you are after a workout the more likely you are to hit the gym again!  Collagen can be great to loosen up the muscles and help ease the soreness.  BCAAs can be taken after you work out as well.  The amino acid glutamine can be very beneficial because this is the main amino acid in the muscles!

Cellfood can be helpful to cleanse out the system after a workout, or use it prior to boost endurance.   Add it to your water and re-hydrate.  Incorporating electrolytes with your water (essential minerals) to make sure your body replenishes the fluids that were lost!

And there you have it!  Hope you are feeling motivated to move!  Remember, you do not have to suffer from muscle soreness after movement.  Let nature help your body to prepare and recover!  Stay tuned for next week for detoxing tips!

**BONUS**  Come by the store and ask for a free class pass to our favorite local yoga studio MODO YOGA!

As always, do what you feel is best for YOUR body — if you aren’t sure, ask your doctor.  We are health ENTHUSIASTS not licensed practitioners.