When it comes to fitness, nutrition contributes greatly to your overall success. As such, it is important to know what, how and when to consume different foods as part of your fitness training program. As a matter of fact, your nutrition can be divided into different categories including general nutrition, pre-workout nutrition, and post-workout nutrition. These three categories have a role to play if you are to achieve your set goals while at the same time maximising your effectiveness.
Before going too far, it’ll be good to look at the best pre-workout smoothie making tips. Basically, what you consume prior to your daily workouts will play an important role in determining whether you are effective or not.
Let’s look at 9 amazing tips that will help you make the best fitness smoothie:-
1. Have a good protein dose
Your pre-workout smoothie should have a good dose of protein as these are your muscles building blocks. Consuming sufficient amount of protein will help your body endure your workouts and also support the development of lean muscles. As such, you can include protein powder as part of your smoothies. Protein provides the body with a continuous flow of strength and energy while at the same time aiding in quick body recovery.
2. Include amino acids
During and after your fitness program, your body does require amino acids. The whey protein in the smoothies is absorbed into your bloodstream and this in return allows the body to break down and use amino acids as you workout and immediately thereafter.
3. Minimise calories
It can be very tempting to load your smoothies with calories. However, this will only work against what you are seeking to achieve and should be avoided. When making your ultimate fitness smoothie, always avoid recipes and ingredients likely to load the drink with a lot of calories. You can use non-dairy milk, water or low-fat milk as your smoothie base thus making it low-calorie drink. On the other hand, avoid using juices as these will increase the calories in the smoothie.
4. Use leafy greens
Leafy greens are a must have in any diet and they do play an important role when it comes to fitness smoothies. As such, they should be included in your recipes as they are a good source of minerals, phyto-nutrients, and vitamins. If you can’t for any reason have access to leafy greens, you can use green food powder to supply the missing nutrients and balance what you lose when you overcook veggies or skip meals. As a matter of fact, you can benefit from leafy greens such as spinach, wheat grass, sea vegetables, spirulina, and chlorella.
5. Add whole fruits
Sometimes people opt for fruit juice due to the scarcity of fresh, whole fruits. However, using fruit juice denies you of the essential fiber and phytochemicals which you can get from fresh fruits. Fruit juices will also add a lot of calories to your smoothies thus beating the logic of your efforts altogether. Fresh fruits are also a good source of antioxidants and can also help change the flavor of your smoothie into something enjoyable.
6. Add some oil
Probably you’ve heard so many negative things about oils and how they are bad for your body. Well, it is true that oils are bad for your heart and body in general but not all oils will do harm to your body. As you make your smoothie, you should consider adding some healthy oils including avocados, coconut oils, and flaxseed oils among others.
Once you’ve taken a pre-workout smoothie, your body will have a steady supply of strength and energy for endurance. However, your body will also need to recover after the workouts and smoothies are also good for this. Combining the pre and post workout smoothies will make for a great experience for you.
7. Make your smoothie carb-rich
After the workouts, your body will be worn-out and energy sources exhausted. As such, you will need to replenish the energy sources and the best way to do this is to go for a carbohydrate–rich smoothie and some of the best ingredients will include bananas, yogurt, mangoes and spinach among others.
8. Fight inflammation
Consider making smoothie rich in vitamins and minerals as these will help fight against cell damage and inflammation. You can add ingredients such as beet, orange fruits, wheat germ and pumpkin as they are effective in protecting against cell damage while at the same time protecting against inflammation. These will also enhance stamina and blood flow thus boosting endurance.
9. Add superfoods
Superfoods have a magical touch and will help accelerate your recovery process. You should consider superfoods such as acai, cacao, hemp, wheatgrass and chia as these are maximized with valuable nutrients that are essential for your body.
With these tips, you’ll be able to make healthy, ultimate fitness smoothies that will not only fuel your workouts but also help facilitate your post-workout recovery. There are many ingredients you can use without jeopardising your goals. Finally, you must make sure that your body is hydrated by taking a lot of water. This will replenish what you lose during the workouts and also supply your body with valuable minerals.
I hope you enjoyed this article and found it informative. Share this article with your friends and family so that they can also benefit from the ultimate fitness smoothie!
Author: Lucy Maria
Lucy Maria is a digital content specialist. She loves to write about interesting cooking tips, healthy foods and top lists of Professional Blender , Juicer, Ovens etc. When she’s not in the kitchen or at her keyboard, you’ll usually find her working in her garden or reading books.
