Insanity: if you're not doing it, START. Seriously, I consider myself a really fit person, but Insanity is crazy hard for me. I don't follow the "schedule" like you're supposed to, but it works nonetheless. It works different muscles than just running and lifting does. I'm an avid runner, but this is way beyond that kind of physical focus. And it's every day. No skipping. It's glorious. I love pushing myself that hard. I love having my daily routine of popping in Insanity and getting my butt seriously kicked. ( I downloaded Insanity instead of buying it. I can't tell you where...but it's easy to find).
One complaint I constantly hear from people is "I work out so hard every day, but I'm not losing any weight!"
First of all:
It's pretty cyclical, too. The healthier you eat, the better your workout will be. The better your workout is, the better you eat. I swear. It's the secret to being healthy. I don't crave fattening, sweet food. It makes me kind of nauseous to think about, actually. I love beautiful, juicy fruit and crisp vegetables. I am happy when I'm healthy.
Second of all: Unless you're extremely overweight, you'll probably see the number on the scale go up a little bit. That's what happens when you lose fat and replace it with muscle. Muscle is more dense than fat, therefore you may remain the same weight but your body will be all hot and toned and lean.
Therefore, after a hard workout, refrain from immediately going out for pancakes or a burger. Just because you burn 1000 calories at the gym does NOT mean that compensates for eating a 1000 meal. Seriously, guys. That's not how it works.
So what is good to eat after a workout?
1: Chocolate milk.
This provides an excellent balance of carbs, proteins, and fats. The calcium and proteins will help your body recover swiftly and properly.
2: Eggs
Eggs provide great protein to help your muscles recover. If you need a little more substance with your breakfast, throw in cheese, onions, ham, or whatever to make an omelet.
3: Yogurt--my favorite!
Yogurt naturally has delicious bacteria--probiotics. The good bacteria that helps move your digestive track along and keep you full for much longer. But none of that sugary stuff. Fancy yogurt brands that offer "desserts" are tricksy, and you should avoid them. It's processed, sugary, and will not keep you satisfied for as long.
What's my favorite yogurt? Fage, which is all-natural greek yogurt. It's plain, so I never eat it without a spoonful of real blackberry jam, honey, granola, or whatever I fancy to put in it. I eat it about an hour after I work out, and it is glorious.
Here are some more reasons to love yogurt.
Okay, so what's the deal with Kombucha?
Kombucha is tea made by ferment mushrooms in black tea. It's really freaky looking., because that's a mushroom on top.
Anyway, I've been drinking this every day, and I already feel awesome. Sure, it could be a placebo effect type thing, but either way I'm addicted. It's fizzy and has a bit of zing, which is why it's perfect for a kick-start in the morning. I drink it before I do my workout so it has time to react before I eat.
Kombucha is really neat stuff. I guess you could call it a "cleanse drink", if you know what I mean. It just makes everything feel normal and healthy. I really enjoy it at least. If you ever get a chance to try it, do!
I have a really sensitive digestive system. I often feel sick and bloated. I'm not really sure why, so I'm constantly seeking a solution to this problem. One of them is attempting to kick out gluten from my diet. I'm currently failing at that. My nice little routine of tea and yogurt has been a big help.
So i'll keep drinking my weird growing tea and eating my bacteria filled yogurt.
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