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What can you do?
Before your workout: drink 1-2 glasses of water
During your workout: Have about ½-1 cup of water for every 20 minutes of exercise
After your workout: Have at least 3 cups of water in
hour after you exercise.
2) Check Your Pre-workout Nutrition
Since you want energy over long haul, your best bet is to try having some complex carbs before you exercise (like oatmeal, whole wheat toast, or whole wheat crackers).
Some people prefer to get their carbohydrate from fruit also, it depends on what works for you.
Try to combine this with a little bit of protein (like peanut butter on your whole wheat toast, or a couple slices of cheese with your apple). Try different combos and see what gives you most energy.
3) During your workout:
If your workout is under an hour: Make sure you keep drinking that water and continue to listen to your body.
If you want to go more than an hour you should try eating 25 to 30 grams of carbohydrate every half hour (i.e. From sports bars, fruits or whole grains).
If you are exercising for more than 3 hours you should consider sipping a sports drink to replace lost electrolytes. Both sports drinks and energy bars help to maintain your blood sugar levels and prevent muscle glycogen (energy) depletion
4) After exercise:
Keep drinking that water! (See above) You also want to refuel with carbohydrates as soon as you can after exercise (toast, bagel, fruits, oatmeal, etc.)
Your body not only needs to refuel but it also needs to rebuild with some protein since intense exercise involves breakdown of muscle tissue.
Some possible snacks are: Peanut butter and banana sandwich on whole wheat toast, cottage cheese mixed with fruit, scrambled eggs with whole wheat toast.
The most important thing is to pay attention to your body and feel what works for you as you exercise. If you feel light-headed or dizzy or in pain at any time during exercise stop! Respect your body and what it tells you.
Hopefully next time you decide to face treadmill (or exercise video) you’ll be able to feel great both during AND after you exercise.
You’ll be able to feel as if you’ve made your body better and stronger, by feeding it and exercising it and keeping that energy up!
K. O'Neill is a contributing editor to Diet & Weight Loss Reviews .
For more weight loss tips and free diet reviews, visit http://www.freetobethin.com.
