Why protein and water are essential to your work out.
Your body is a machine and to keep your machine running at optimum it’s performance level, you need to provide it with the tools it needs to do so. Fueling your body before, during and after a workout is the only way to ensure that you get the most out of every workout and start to see results and avoid injuries no matter what level of fitness you are at.
Two of the primary fuels required to keep the body maintained are water and protein.
The science is quite simple. Amino Acids + Electrolytes = healthy muscles, organs and bones.
Here's Why
Water is a lifeline
Our bodies are made up of 60% water, so it is pretty important to keep it fully stocked.
When working out, your body needs electrolytes to maintain a healthy balance in your muscles and water provides this. When your body doesn’t receive the necessary electrolytes, you will suffer from dehydration and weakness which can lead to injury. By consuming enough water, your energy levels will increase as your muscles are performing at the optimum level.
Another important element in your body is synovial fluid, which is found in your joints. As water is the key ingredient in this fluid, the more you drink, the more lubricated your joints will be resulting in less wear and tear as you work out.
Water improves your pain tolerance & speed up recovery time
According to a study done by Psychophysiology, when you don’t drink an adequate amount of water, your sensitivity levels and perception of pain become much higher. In order to intensify your workouts, up your water intake. We all know how sore muscles can inhibit our training, so flushing toxins out of the body with water means your recovery time is minimized.
Sounds like a no-brainer, right?
Proteins the chemical building blocks of the body.
In a nutshell, whilst working out we are essentially ‘damaging’ our muscles in order to force them to repair themselves coming back stronger, resulting in us being fitter. Protein is absolutely vital to muscle repair and growth, so not getting enough protein in your diet will affect your ability to rebuild the muscles damaged during a workout.
Protein is essential to keeping us feeling healthy and whether you get your protein from a plant based or meat-based diet, you need protein to fuel your body!
According to an article published on Pubmed, “recent evidence indicates that ingesting protein prior to, during, and/or following exercise can enhance recovery, immune function, and growth and maintenance of lean body mass. Adequate intake and appropriate timing of protein ingestion has been shown to be beneficial in multiple exercise modes, including endurance, anaerobic, and strength exercise.”
High protein diets do tend to be very effective overall. Proteins are very dense, keeping you fuller for longer, stablising your appetite and managing your blood sugar levels. As an added bonus, eating protein burns more calories as it forces the body to work harder during digestion.
Just remember, you should always discuss your personal requirements with a doctor or dietician.
Body20 Members get access to Nutrition Doctors, who are able to guide you and provide you with a personalised health plan, suited to your fitness needs.
Book your free demo at your nearest Studio to start the journey towards a Stronger, Fitter You!
