How to Eat and Train Like an Athlete
High-stakes athletic competition is all about excellence, and excellence takes training. World-class athletes follow a rigorous diet and exercise routine that prepares them for the challenges they face when competing at the top of their sports, whether they are diving off the high dive or mastering the triathlon.
It takes years to achieve that level of fitness, but that doesn’t mean the average individual striving for good health can’t learn something from the best of the best! As countries compete, get your mind and body ready, too. How can you eat and train like these amazing athletes?
The Breakfast of Champions
There is a lot of debate among diet and fitness experts about how critical breakfast is, but elite athletes eat it daily, according to award-winning athlete Chrissy Wellington Garner. Why? Insulin sensitivity, the mechanism that allows your body to burn calories, doesn’t start until you “break your fast.”
Go heavy on the protein for your first meal of the day, too. This will give you extra energy for the challenges to come.
Warm Up Right
Men’s Fitness suggests you spend 10 minutes doing something light like jogging or jump roping, then switch to something more dynamic to improve your flexibility and reduce the risk of injury – all before you actually start your normal routine. Reverse lunges are a good option for a dynamic warm-up exercise because they engage the major muscle groups.
After you’ve exercised, be sure you take the time to cool down and recover. Using recovery techniques such as massage and stretching keeps you limber and reduces muscle pain.
Go Organic
A dietitian who counsels world-class athletes says these athletes make organic food choices to support their training. Foods loaded down with antibiotics and preservatives are not healthy and may also hinder performance. Instead, you should focus on lean, organic meats, whole foods, and avoid fruits and vegetables grown with pesticides whenever possible.
The Environmental Working Group put together a list of produce that tend to be heavy with pesticides. They top the list of contaminated foods which you should always try to buy organic — or better, yet, keep your own garden and eat what you grow.
Cross-train
Cross-training is a practical way to reduce the risk of overdoing it and avoid injury. It also helps keep you motivated. A healthy lifestyle requires commitment, but focusing on one activity can lead to boredom. When you cross-train, you open up your horizons and give yourself more choices.
If you are a runner, think about jumping on a bike once or twice a week to mix it up. You can also plan activities to do indoors, like taking a step class or enjoying some hot yoga, and then create outdoor routines for days when the weather is too good to ignore. Finding a combination of exercises that you enjoy will mean your fit lifestyle won’t become stagnate, and you’ll be more likely to stick to your fitness plan.
We might not all be striving for a gold medal performance, but everyone can strive to live healthier just like the elite athletes we admire!
Take care of yourself and your family by booking annual wellness appointments.