Pep Talk
Nutrition is one of the most confusing aspects of fitness. It's bad enough to figure out what you should be eating normally. And then you add your workouts to the mix, and a whole new layer of confusion presents itself.Eating for your workouts is a delicate balance of making sure you have enough energy to do your best (and avoid becoming light-headed) and making sure you did not eat too much too close to your workout (and avoid becoming nauseous).
Generally speaking, only consume 100 calories for every hour before your workout (for example, if your workout is 2 hours away, eat 200 calories of food).
Here are some examples of what you could eat based on how far away your workout is:
- 3 or more hours: A normal meal.
- 2 hours: A snack like a banana or apple with peanut butter, half a turkey sandwich, or a small bowl of cereal and milk.
- 1 hour: A very small snack with very little fat or fiber, like a banana, a piece of toast, or half of an energy bar.
- 15-30 minutes before: An energy gel or even some gummie snacks -- something comprised mostly of sugar to give you some quick energy. Your body won't be able to comfortably digest anything else. Some people might find it easier to just sip an energy drink during exercise rather than eat their calories this soon before the workout.
Challenge Workout
Complete the following exercises as quickly as possible, taking breaks as needed:- 100 Jump Rope Hops
- 50 Squats
- 40 Crunches
- 30 Mountain Climbers (each leg counts as 1/2 a rep; both legs count as 1 rep)
- 20 Pushups (Knees or Feet)
- 10 Burpees
