Do you ever think to yourself “what do I have to do to increase my energy levels during my workouts?” You’re drained, grumpy and feel tight in places you didn’t know existed. We asked Health and Fitness coach Jamie Lloyd what he would advise? Here are Jamie’s top tips for fueling your training.
In order to increase your energy levels you need to commit to these 7 things
1. Avoid grains:
By limiting grains you’ll reduce the effects of constant insulin spikes and the following crashes. You will also reduce the possibility of excess glycogen being stored as fat.
2. Sleep like a baby:
Sleep is a way for our mind and body to reenergize. If you only charge your phone to 75% before using it, well it has 25% less energy throughout the day. Same goes for you! So get to sleep by 10:30 each night!
3. Unwind your mind and body:
Give yourself a break to disconnect daily. Yes daily. This will clear your head, rest your body and reenergize your soul.
4. Drink clean filtered water every day:
Our body is 70% water so go ahead and drink around 1 litre per 50 lbs of Bodyweight each day and you will be fully hydrated when you hit the gym!
5. Avoid taking your mobile phone with you when you work out:
So many of us are attached to our mobile we even take it with us when we work out! So tell me then how on earth can you train and focus 100% if you are attempting to reach for your phone when you are training. Leave it behind and you will get more done!
6. Eat more greens:
Some athletes perform well despite consuming a diet that is not ideal. But they are the exception. To perform at our best, whether it's at the marathon, a 400 M swim, a game of volleyball, or a workout at the gym, we need to fuel our body with the right fuel. While the general consensus is that whole foods are healthier than processed foods, and that plant-powered foods are by far the best choices, there are definitely a few nutritional standouts that should be staples in any active person's diet.
Dark leafy green vegetables are some of the most nutrient-dense foods around! They are a great source of vitamins K, C, and E, and minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium. They are also rich in protective antioxidants and phytonutrients like beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin.
Because exercise requires increased oxygen consumption, it also increases the production of free radicals in the body. Thus, protection against oxidative stress in the form of adequate antioxidant intake is especially important for athletes.
Green smoothies are a great way to get more greens in your diet. You can sneak tons of greens into a smoothie without even noticing them! It's a much quicker, easier, and more convenient way to get a huge dose of nutrient-rich greens than a salad.
7. Drink more greens:
If you struggle to eat your greens try drinking Udo’s Choice Beyond Greens! Beyond Greens comes in powder form and blends quickly and easily into food and drink, making it great for people on the run who need an instant, nutritious boost or a quick pick-me-up snack before training! This great tasting green drink is packed with alkalising ingredients you might otherwise find difficulty. Each tablespoon provides more than 1000mg of high quality flax, sunflower and sesame seed oil - plus an array of green food concentrates.
Jamie Lloyd is a Health and Fitness coach is the co- author of the international bestselling book 'Total Body Breakthroughs' which was number 1 on Amazon.
He has 11 years experience in training endurance athletes from runners, to world champion triathletes and world champion duathletes. He is the creator of Total Bodybreakthroughs and Buggybells.
He currently writes for a number of national fitness magazines and websites including Men's Fitness magazine. To train with Jamie visit jamielloydfitness.com
