10 FOODS THAT CAN BOOST YOUR ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE

Your diet impacts your energy levels, muscle recovery rates, mood, performance, and even your concentration. Its effect goes beyond your physical performance and instead also trickles down to your emotional and psychological wellbeing. So, if you want to be sharp in the gym, at work, and even in-between, you need to be careful what you eat. As a start, here are 10 foods that should be part of your diet as you embrace an athletic lifestyle.

Oatmeal

Starting your day on a positive note helps you stay on track with your diet for the rest of the day. The easiest way to do this is by loading up on a filling cereal first thing in the morning. Oatmeal tops the list in this case. With a carbohydrate level of 60 grams for every 100 grams, it should provide you with enough energy to make it through the day. Besides, scientists tout it for its antioxidant properties, which help you ward off certain lifestyle diseases.

Rice and Pasta

A common mistake people make when exercising is avoiding carbohydrates. They believe that eating such starchy foods can set them back and delay their progress. However, how can you get energy if you do not load up on energy-giving foods? Include rice and pasta in your diet but pay attention to the glycemic index, which should be as low as possible. For example, if it comes down to brown rice or quick-cooking rice, choose the former option.

Why is rice good for you? One, it provides you with energy, thereby replenishing depleted energy reserves. Secondly, it is filling, more so brown rice, and you will hardly feel the urge to snack on unhealthy foods.

Eggs

High levels of protein are always advisable for athletes who want to build muscle mass and repair tissue. You may have heard that eggs can increase harmful cholesterol levels in your body and may be hesitant to eat eggs. However, their positive impact is so high that it outweighs any bad sides they may have. Please consume the egg yolk as it contains a wide range of minerals. A few egg yolks will not harm your athletic performance.

Fish

Do you know that doctors recommend that people eat fish twice each week? To people who do not enjoy eating fish, this may not seem like good news. However, omega 3 in fish works wonders in improving muscular function and reducing body fatigue. So, if you want an easy way to improve your athletic performance, you may have found your answer. Watch out for any species that may have heavy metal contamination.

Chicken

Your muscles need constant nutrition to grow. Bodybuilders and athletes who enjoy strength training understand that they must eat a lot to increase their muscle mass. What better way to do it than by eating chicken? This white meat not only aids in recovery but also boosts muscle growth thanks to its high amino acid content. Of course, you will have better luck and health if you go for chicken raised outdoors.

Green Vegetables

Some people cringe at the sight or mention of vegetables. However, if you want to improve your athletic endurance, eating more greens is not optional. If you do not particularly enjoy vegetables, you can experiment with different options and see what you like the most. Alternatively, you can look up online recipes. Work with those that help make the greens tasty without compromising their nutritional value.

Almonds

These versatile nuts, which also make delicious nut milk, are an easy way to enhance your athletic endurance. Plus, they taste amazing and help build up your satiety levels in between meals. Even so, you need to consume about a gram of fat per kilo of body weight. So, a handful of these healthy snacks should be enough to keep you going.

Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate gives you a hit of feel-good neural chemicals that help you work up your endurance. Plus, it is a gift to yourself after all that hard work you have put in at the gym. Keep in mind that it is a high-calorie snack, though, and you should go easy on it. Else, all your hard work will go into making up for one candy bar.

Dried Fruits

Having a handful of dried fruit gives you the energy you need to keep going without compromising your caloric intake. If you will be on the field or at the gym for long hours, pack some fruits for your breaks. While they are low on calories, too much of these fruits add up to substantial caloric levels.

Bananas

Your body requires potassium for muscle recovery to take place. Plus, this mineral also helps alleviate cramp pain and help you feel less sore after a tasking workout. Moreover, the sweet taste and sugar hit keeps you going even when you are almost at your limit.

These foods are essential for your pre and post-workout meals. However, keep in mind that calories can quickly add up even when snacking on healthy foods. Good luck!