Given the fact that exercising your body is such an essential aspect of living a well-rounded life, it is important to understand how to best support your body when participating in physical activity. The way you prepare your body before exercising is just as important to your digestive process as the act of exercising is. If you are trying to reach a certain goal in terms of your weight or body strength, learning how to best prepare your body is especially an essential step to the process.
The Timing and Quality of Your Meals Matters Prior to Exercising
One of the biggest reasons why people tend to not see the results they were hoping for from exercising is, because they are not following the proper diet for their goals. What you eat is just as if not more important than the exercise you are participating in, because it is what your body uses as fuel to push you and to sustain itself. If you are working out, but living a lifestyle full of processed sugars and fats, it can become challenging for your body to properly show you the work you have been putting in.
It is also important to ensure you are eating a substantial amount of time before your workout. Your body gains fuel from the foods you put into it, and if you are choosing to neglect eating before a workout, you might find yourself having less energy to get through said workout. Instead, try having a snack high in carbs about an hour before your workout. Carbohydrates are processed by your digestive system quicker than proteins and fats making it less harsh on your stomach before physical activity.
What you eat after your workout is also an important aspect of your wellness journey. After a workout it is important to try and refuel your body as soon as possible, and to make sure it is a meal filled with high levels of protein and carbs. Eating soon after a workout helps to promote proper muscle building and can create a healthy environment for proper digestion. Be sure to come prepared with a pre-made snack to the gym if finding time to eat closely after finishing a workout is a struggle for you. For example, making a smoothie high in protein and carbohydrates is a great treat to give yourself and can save you time in the long run.
Hydrating Your Body Before and After A Workout
Keeping your body hydrated is an essential part of having a healthy digestive system, because water is needed to help dissolve the nutrients in the food we consume and to help our bodies absorb said nutrients. Without water, digestion can become slower leading to issues such as constipation, cramping, bloating, and indigestion.
Water is especially needed prior to working out, because it helps to give your muscles extra support and will boost your energy levels. Energy is an essential aspect of participating in a proper exercise routine, and if you neglect your hydration levels it can lead to you feeling weak and tired before the exercise even begins. If you are dangerously dehydrated it can even lead to dangerous levels in your heart rate.
During a workout, your body tends to sweat out all the water and toxins in your body and can lead to dehydration if you are not consistently consuming water. Be sure that you are not only drinking water before a workout, but also during and after a workout to give your body the support it needs all day long.
If you are participating in high intensity or longer enduring workouts, it is also important to make sure you are keeping your electrolyte levels maintained in addition to your hydration levels. When you have low electrolyte levels it can cause issues in your digestive tract that can lead to symptoms such as nausea and cramping. Luckily, there are a number of foods and drinks that you can include into your routine to keep your electrolyte levels intact. For example, the following foods are a great way to keep your electrolyte levels up: avocados, bananas, watermelon, and almonds.
Since it is not recommended to eat during a workout, a great way to boost electrolyte levels during your workout is by drinking coconut water. Coconut water contains both potassium and sodium making it a great drink option during a longer workout.
Practice General Digestive Friendly Activities to Promote A Healthier Lifestyle
In addition to the foods you eat and what you are drinking, it is also important to participate in digestive-friendly activities such as taking your supplements for bloating and stretching prior to/after a workout.
Taking a probiotic supplement that helps with bloating is a great way to support your digestive system daily. A probiotic is made up of healthy bacteria that works to keep your digestive system up and running. When your digestive system is overrun with harmful bacteria it can become hard for it to do its job orderly, but if it is being fed probiotics it can work to fend off any harmful bacteria and in its place create a healthy environment for digestion to thrive. Our product called Probiotic Renu contains both bifido probiotic cultures and lacto probiotic cultures to do just this. Be sure to add it to your daily routine to give your body the support it needs to thrive.
Making sure that you are adding stretching into your daily workout routine is also essential for healthy digestion. There are a number of different stretches that have been known to promote healthy digestion such as the seated spinal twist. Stretching helps to open up your digestive tract so that food can move more smoothly through it, as well as can promote healthy muscle building/healing that can occur while exercising. Be sure to warm up your body a little before stretching, by doing some small form of cardio.
This will help to warm up your muscles a little in order to avoid pulling anything while stretching. You can also warm your muscles up by taking a warm bath and stretching. This is a great way to incorporate it into your daily routine even if you are not working out on that certain day. The preparation and post-workout routines you set up for yourself are just as essential as any other aspect of your wellness routine.