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New Post has been published on http://fitnessembodied.com/what-to-eat-after-a-run/

What to eat after a run?

I have talked in the past about what to eat before a run but what about what to eat after a run?

This is often the point when many people make mistakes with their nutrition as many over eat, under eat or simply do not eat the right things.

Getting the right nutrition is a key part of your training plan as not eating the right things could lead your legs and muscles hurting for longer after your run, preventing you from doing another run.

It also helps with ensuring you keep your body in the best shape to heal itself and replenish your depleted energy stores.

What to eat after a run

I have put together this quick guide to help you decide what to eat after your run:

Steady paced run less than 1 hour. If you have done a steady pace run for less than one hour then you don’t need to worry to much as your body should have the energy it requires for this. I recommend a small snack and ensure you have your next full meal within 2-3 hours of finishing.

High tempo runs. If you have done an intense high tempo run then you need to eat within 30 minutes of finishing. Aim to have a balance of carbs and protein, generally 4:1 ratio of carbs to protein.

Endurance run. Been out on a long run for over an hour? Then you also need to eat something within 30 minutes of finishing. Eat a 200-300 calorie meal straight away followed by a bigger meal a couple of hours later.

As you can see there is some variation in what you eat.

As an example, after a steady run less than one hour you could have a banana or an energy bar after your run to tide you over to your next meal.

For the longer or higher tempo runs you should look to eat something with carbs to replenish your energy stores. Why not try a bagel with peanut butter after your run and then a full meal a few hours later.

The cheaters way: This is my little treat for you all. I love chocolate milk! And it turns out it is one of the best things you can have after a run as it has a good balance between carbs and protein… Just don’t drink loads of it!

It also very important to rehydrate yourself after a run so keep a bottle of water with you for a few hours after your run and keep sipping it.

Many people worry about eating after a run as they are trying to lose weight and think eating will prevent the weight loss, if anything it actually helps you lose weight. Your body needs the food you eat post run to help break down your fat stores. Just don’t over-eat is my simple tip for you.

I would love to hear what you like to eat after your runs? Anything you find that helps you recover quicker and stop your muscles aching?

New Post has been published on http://fitnessembodied.com/what-to-eat-before-a-run/

What to eat before a run?

The question of what to eat before a run and when to eat it is one of the most common dilemmas for new runners.

I openly admit to giving this no thought when I started running and would simply get my running gear on and head out of the door.

This would often lead me to stomach cramps, stitches and headaches when running… Once I had a better understanding of the effects of pre-run nutrition it really helped me improve my running.

As with most aspects of running there is not a silver bullet or one size fits all answer here so you will need to use some trial and error with the information below to get maximum effect.

Rule of thumb

One of the most common issues with pre-run nutrition is that new runners over-estimate the demands on their body during shorter runs.

If you are running for less than 60 minutes then your body likely already has all the energy it needs to get you through without making any alterations or loading on carbs etc before a run.

Whilst you don’t need to load up on food before a short run, it is still a good idea to follow the guide below, especially on foods to avoid before running.

If you are doing a longer or more intense run then it is a good idea to think more about your pre-run nutrition and ensure you have some extra energy loaded in plenty of time for your run.

What to eat before a run and when:

You are going to have to do a bit of experimentation here to get this perfect but I have put together a few general principles on the timings of your pre-run food.

Within 30 minutes of your run:

Eat a small amount of easily digestible food that will not sit heavy in your stomach while running causing you cramps. Over-eating here is likely to have a negative impact on your run.

Some examples of good foods to eat in this period:

A Banana

Dried fruits such as raisins

A granola bar

Energy bar

Around 250ml water for hydration

Examples of foods to avoid in this period:

Pastas

Breads and bagels

Fried foods

Large amounts of carbs

The key in this period is to avoid over-eating but give your body a small energy boost and hydration.

1 hour before your run:

If you still have an hour before your run then this is a great time to get a snack on board to give you energy for your run but allow it to be digested in time.

Some examples of good foods to eat in this period:

A bowl of cereal

Peanut butter on toast

Scrambled eggs on toast

Around 500ml water for hydration

Examples of foods to avoid in this period:

Large meals

Spicy food

Fried foods

Your aim in this period is to get some easily digestible food on board to ensure your body is prepared for the run. I suggest that hydration be your main concern at this time.

2 hours+ before your run:

If you still have two or more hours until your run then you can have a larger meal/snack than is possible only 1 hour before your run, but stick to around 400 calories to avoid over-eating.

Some examples of good foods to eat in this period:

Oatmeal with fruit and nuts

Grilled chicken wrap

Houmous and pita bread

Peanut butter sandwich

Around 500ml water for hydration

Examples of foods to avoid in this period:

Large meals

Alcohol

Fibrous veggies

Fatty foods

Morning Runner?

I am not a morning runner but I know many that are and often they will rise from bed, get their gear on and go.

This does not leave them much/any time for food before a run, is this a bad thing?

As I stated earlier in the post, your body likely already has the energy it need to perform a 60-75 minute run at normal intensity, so there is not a massive concern here.

If you can I would suggest trying to get a small snack in 30 minutes prior to your run and some hydration, even if this means getting up a little earlier.

If you are planning a long or intense run first thing in the morning, then I would suggest having a larger carb focussed meal the night before so that your body is fuelled come morning.

Closing thought

As you can see there are plenty of points to consider here and it is up to you now to use some trial and error to find what works best for you. Feel free to share your thoughts and what works well for you in the comments section below.

New Post has been published on http://fitnessembodied.com/what-is-vo2-max/

What is VO2 Max?

If you have been running for a while or if you have a GPS watch then you will likely have come across the term VO2 Max…

For me I get shown it on my Garmin every time I finish a run and it also often pops up on trackers like Strava… But what the hell does it mean and do you need to worry about it?

Breaking it down to simple English, your VO2 Max is numerical measurement assigned to your body’s ability to consume oxygen. It is measured in millilitres per kilogram of body weight per minute (ml/kg/min).

VO2 is simply an abbreviation of the term Volume (V) of Oxygen (O2).

In order to get an accurate picture of your VO2 max you currently need to go to a lab and run on a treadmill whilst being hooked up to a face mask that is monitoring the air you breath whilst running on treadmill that is having the incline increased at regular intervals.

The guy in the white coat in the lab with you will then process your data and give you a VO2 Max score.

Whilst you will often see scores calculated by devices such as your running watch, these numbers are likely to be very inaccurate so it is not worth worrying about that stat a whole lot.

In a relatively healthy person your VO2 Max would likely be somewhere between the 30 to 60 range. In top athletes this number is a lot higher, for example someone like Chris Froome has a VO2 Max of 88.

What affects your VO2 Max?

In it’s most basic form it will come down to your genes/DNA and the chemical ability of the muscular cellular tissue system to use oxygen in breaking down fuels.

There are several theories around such as Utilization Theory and Presentation Theory if you wanted to look deeper into the science behind what affects your VO2 Max.

What does VO2 Max mean for us runners?

Essentially having a higher VO2 Max is a good thing as it shows your body is more efficient at taking in oxygen and delivering it to your muscles which allows you to go faster for longer periods of time.

Among a group of runners with the same VO2 max, you’ll see a wide variety in their PRs.

While elite runners do indeed have very VO2 maxes, the ones with the highest VO2 max aren’t always the fastest.

This means that I would not really put too much/any focus on your VO2 Max in your day-to-day running unless you are competing at an elite level where it could be considered a factor to improve.

Can you increase your VO2 Max?

The answer to the questions is: not always.

It has been shown in several studies that some people simply are unable to get any improvements in their VO2 Max, however, most people should be able to improve theirs between 5-20% over time… There have been reports for people increasing their VO2 Max over 60% but this was from a very low base.

Summary

Unless you are an elite runner I would not put too much thought into your VO2 Max, it will just become an extra number to obsess over without there being a lot you can do to focus on it.

New Post has been published on http://fitnessembodied.com/what-causes-a-stitch/

What causes a stitch?

Have you been out on a run and all of a sudden experienced a sharp stabbing pain just under your ribs? Normally on either side…

If so then you’ve suffered from a stitch or often referred to as a side-stitch. But what causes a stitch?

When I first started running I used to get them all the time and it would really frustrate me as I would have to slow down to try and recover which would affect my times.

Despite being a very common issue for runners it is still not fully known what the exact trigger is for this pain but there are a number of theories.

What causes a stitch?

The first theory is that a stitch is caused by blood moving away from your diaphragm during exercise to go to your limbs and this reduction of blood flow to the diaphragm causes it to cramp up.

Whilst this theory has some consideration it does not explain why it does not happen every time I exercise, so I am not sure this is the main cause.

Another theory that is often cited is that a stitch can be caused by eating a large meal or by drinking concentrated sugary drinks like fruit juices too close to the start of your run.

This second theory is one that appears to ring true for me and since I have been a lot more careful about what I eat and drink before my runs I rarely encounter a stitch.

How to avoid a stitch?

For me there are four pieces of advice I can give that have helped me to avoid getting a stitch when out running:

Warm up properly. I was always guilty of putting on my running gear and heading out the door without any form of warm-up and this likely caused me some problems. I now do 5 minutes of stretches and jogging on the spot to warm up my body for my run.

Avoid eating and drinking close to your run. I am now more careful around what I eat and drink within two hours of my run. I consume less volume of water in the two hours prior to my run and have no big meals. I have also cut out all sugary drinks.

Get fitter. I know this is not something you can do overnight but I have found that the fitter I am the less likely I am to get a stitch.

Improve your core. As part of your daily routine try and throw in a few exercises that help to strengthen your core. Not only will they help with stitches it should always help improve your running. Why not do a plank every day for 60 seconds.

Treating a stitch?

If you are out on a run an encounter a stitch you will normally find that it will go away within 1-2 minutes.

It is a go idea to slow down a little when the stitch hits to give your body a chance to heal. I also recommend that you stop running completely for 10 secs and bend over and touch your toes 3 times… This works really well for me.

Many people try and continue to run off a stitch and you need to find the method that works best for you, I find stopping for a few seconds to bend forward and touch my toes means I can continue back to my normal pace more quickly, losing less time on my run.

Have you encountered a stitch whilst running? How did you overcome it? Do you have any secrets for avoiding a stitch? Did you work out what causes a stitch?

New Post has been published on http://fitnessembodied.com/how-to-breathe-while-running/

How to breathe while running?

This is honestly the one thing I spent the most time researching when I first started running regularly. But learning how to breathe while running appears to be something many people are searching for.

When I first started I would often start struggling to breathe after only a few hundred metres and I could never really understand what was wrong.

I would see people running past me and they looked like they were barely breathing and I was struggling for air.

I started to think I had a health problem or an issue with my lungs that meant I was unable to breathe properly during exercise.

When taking to the Internet to do research it also appeared as though there were many different theories and approaches to how you should breathe while running rather than one clear way it should be done.

I wish I was able to say do x,y,z when running to ensure you can breathe optimally but it actually needs some trial and error on your part to find what works for you.

Here are my pieces of advice that you should trial to see what works for you.

How to breathe while running

Breathe through your mouth. Even as a child I was often told in sport lessons that I should breathe in through my nose and out through my mouth. For runners this just is not optimal. Your body needs you to be taking deep breathes to bring in the oxygen required to deliver energy to your muscles.

Breathe deeply. This combined with breathing through my mouth is what helped me massively! Shallow breathing will lead you to feeling dizzy and nausea as your body is not getting the oxygen required to pump round your body. Take fewer but deeper breathes in.

Match breathing to steps. This is something that works well for many people. Try to inhale for three or four steps, then exhale for the same amount. This allows you to develop a rhythm to your breathing. This can also really help you with keeping your pace and cadence.

Practice breathing. Sounds crazy right? It is not as mad as it sounds. Lying down on the floor, placing a hand on your belly and breathing deeply. If you feel your hand rise and fall slightly with your breathing, you are belly breathing. If your chest moves up and down rather than your belly, you are not breathing deep enough. Focus on your hand and try making it rise and fall.

Warm up. This should be obvious but if you start running from a standing start you are not giving yourself the best chances here. Before you start running do some light exercises to get your heart rate starting to build up and lungs working. I would suggest 1 minute of star jumps followed by 10 squats then 30 secs jogging on the spot… Do some stretching and then you are in better shape to start your run.

These are the things that really helped me with my breathing, which was the main thing that was slowing me down on my runs. Once I conquered my breathing I started knocking minutes off my PBs.

If you try these techniques and still do not see any improvement I would suggest going to visit your GP to rule out any health issues that could be the cause.

You will also find that if you are a new runner you will find it easier to breathe as your endurance increases and you get fitter. Don’t quit at this stage, fight through it and you wont regret it.

Have you ever struggled with breathing when running? How did you overcome it? What is your top tip for how to breathe while running?

New Post has been published on http://fitnessembodied.com/healthy-eating-an-introduction-for-children-aged-5-11/

Healthy Eating: An introduction for children aged 5-11

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMHVEFWNLMc Lots of different things affect how healthy we are including what we eat and how active we are. Food plays a huge part in keeping us healthy and so we need to make sure we’re eating a variety of foods to get all the right vitamins and nutrients.

This video introduces healthy eating to children aged 5-11.

Find lots more Healthy Eating videos and activities on the Eat Happy website: https://www.eathappyproject.com/schools-groups/healthy-eating/

#aged #children #eating #healthy #Introduction

New Post has been published on http://fitnessembodied.com/optimal-nutrition-for-effective-weight-loss-fitness-and-sports-nutrition/

Optimal Nutrition for Effective Weight Loss | Fitness and Sports Nutrition

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEJcVdYtOsg Hosted by Angelo Greco CNP, ROHP

A practical overview, that works to remove some of the confusion, of an ever-present topic of fat loss, maintaining lean tissue and keeping your body healthy—with sound, holistic nutrition and exercise advice.

In this public talk, research on diet and exercise is discussed and examined, along with suggestions made on how best to combine diet and physical activity to give someone an edge to stay lean, long term, with increased energy levels. Comparisons are made between short term unhealthy, restrictive or fad diets that have negative effects to sustainable and biochemically specific eating styles. Learn about retaining ideal muscle mass, maintaining and manipulating metabolic rate and macronutrient ratios and consistency in behavioural modification in eating habits and physical fitness for fat loss.

The material shared by Angelo Greco, CNP, ROHP, in this Open House lecture, is part of the Fitness and Sports Nutrition course at the Institute of Holistic Nutrition (IHN). Fitness and Sports Nutrition and 18 other courses, make up the full curriculum required to obtain a Diploma in Applied Holistic Nutrition and earn the exclusive designation of Certified Nutritional Practitioner (CNP). IHN has four campuses across Canada located in Toronto, Mississauga, Vancouver and Ottawa.

IHN’s Fitness and Sports Nutrition course description: The main focus of this course is the role of nutrition in fitness and sports. Methods are focused on where nutrition can help maximize muscle strength, endurance, and flexibility; through building muscle and reducing fat. Techniques for guiding athletes in proper nutrition in training, and effective methods to prevent dehydration and sports related injuries due to insufficient nutrient levels. Real case studies are examined, exploring leading methods & techniques in optimizing sports performance with proper nutrition.

Visit The Institute of Holistic Nutrition for more information: http://www.instituteofholisticnutrition.com

#effective #Fitness #LOSS #Nutrition #Optimal #Sports #WEIGHT

New Post has been published on http://fitnessembodied.com/easy-watermelon-smoothie-recipe-watermelon-blender-recipe/

Easy Watermelon Smoothie Recipe - Watermelon blender recipe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjZRx3eRNqg Hey, here is how you can turn a watermelon into a yumme watermelon smoothie. With this easy recipe you just need a hand blender and you are good to go.

If you put the watermelon in a freezer before, you will even have a cool watermelon smoothie.

Hope you enjoy my watermelon smoothie recipe!

Music: Snooze by Trademark (https://soundcloud.com/deejaytrademark/07-snooze-soulero-hellberg-x)

#Blender #easy #recipe #Smoothie #Watermelon

New Post has been published on http://fitnessembodied.com/what-i-eat-in-a-day-at-work-easy-healthy-meals-2/

What I Eat In a Day at Work | EASY & Healthy Meals

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEoyL47z0Go SUBSCRIBE for new videos every WEEK! http://bit.ly/1XKeAIi CHECK OUT MY NEW WEEKLY VLOGS: http://bit.ly/2oMZjhp WATCH MORE WHAT I EAT IN A DAY HERE: http://bit.ly/22aYRTq

Watch my What I Eat in a Day at Work 🙂 I got a lot of requests for “cold” meals and since the hot weather is slowly approaching (in Canada) I thought it would be a good fit. On my most days I tend to bring last nights dinner leftovers but when there aren’t any I will make myself a massive salad or a typical sandwich like in todays video.

A big shout out to my amazing FAM JAM (Cloe & Caitlin) for helping me out with this video!

Go check out my cousin Cailtin’s BookTUBE channel for funny and witty book related videos here: http://bit.ly/1TcZ8Dl (trust me you’ll love her!) ________________________ PRODUCTS MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO:

My Vitamix Blender: http://vitamixtrack.com/click.track?CID=292558&AFID=373680&ADID=1403073&SID=&NonEncodedURL= Use my code “06-015” for FREE STANDARD SHIPPING on any order placed from Vitamix.com. I use the Professional Series 500 blender which has 3 different settings for smoothies, hot soups and frozen desserts!

Cuppow lid: http://amzn.to/1TRHxkA Cuppow bento cup: http://amzn.to/1TRHy88 Thirty-One lunch bag: http://bit.ly/1UmCQSk (my sister is a sales consultant) Herbal Coffee: http://amzn.to/1qF4E8w Life Factory 4-cup glass lunch box: http://amzn.to/1Olfhb4 Large wide mouth mason jars: http://amzn.to/1OlfpHn

Simple Granola recipe: http://bit.ly/1SCAcTk Vegan Egg Salad recipe: http://bit.ly/1WuAU7N

________________________ DISCOUNT LINKS

| Vitamix Affiliate Code | Use the code “06-015” for FREE standard shipping! https://www.vitamix.com/Shop

| My FAV organic skincare line | Luminance Skincare: (use the coupon code “healthnut15” for 15% off) http://luminanceskincare.com/

| Crystal Wash laundry balls | Get 20% OFF Crystal Wash click here: http://www.crystalwash.com/vlg/hnsave20

| Affordable online health food store | Get off your first purchase at Vitacost here: http://goo.gl/37qOLl ________________________ P.O. Box Address HealthNut Nutrition 140 Holland St W PO Box 13055 Bradford, ON Canada L3Z 2Y5

________________________ OTHER PLACES YOU CAN FIND ME:

WEBSITE http://www.healthnutnutrition.ca

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SNAPCHAT urhealthnut

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Disclaimer: I purchase all of the products mentioned in this video myself. All opinions expressed are my own personal thoughts and feelings of the products mentioned.

#easy #healthy #Meals #Work

New Post has been published on http://fitnessembodied.com/best-health-and-fitness-tips-best-diet-for-30-plus-women-chitkalu-vanitha-nestham/

Best Health and Fitness Tips, Best Diet For 30 Plus Women || Chitkalu || Vanitha Nestham

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzVdCLyP9no Best Health and Fitness Tips, Best Foods For 30 Plus Women || Chitkalu || Vanitha Nestham

Watch Vanitha TV, the First Women Centric Channel in India by Rachana Television. Tune in for programs on infotainment, health and welfare of women, women power and women’s fashion.

For more latest updates: * Watch Vanitha TV Live :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fr6W0yibE0 * Subscribe to Vanitha TV Channel: https://goo.gl/O9N2d1 * Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vanithatv

#BEST #Chitkalu #diet #Fitness #Health #Nestham #Plus #TIPS #Vanitha #Women

New Post has been published on http://fitnessembodied.com/mango-madness-smoothie-recipe/

Mango Madness Smoothie Recipe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Bv9vZxAkus SUBSCRIBE – http://www.youtube.com/user/bondiharvest

ALL RECIPES – http://www.bondiharvest.com

FACEBOOK – http://www.facebook.com/BondiHarvest

INSTAGRAM – http://www.instagram.com/BondiHarvest

MANGO Tag a smoothie lover that needs a bit of man glow in the morning. Morning glow smoothie, using coconut milk by Vitasoy #spon #vitasoy #morningglow #smoothie

#Madness #Mango #recipe #Smoothie

New Post has been published on http://fitnessembodied.com/fitness-buff-tamra-judge-talks-diet-and-next-competition-e-live-from-the-red-carpet/

Fitness Buff Tamra Judge Talks Diet and Next Competition | E! Live from the Red Carpet

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIxnteOuGPA After taking home the gold in her first fitness competition, the “Real Housewives” star reveals how she’s changing up her diet before competing in nationals!

Subscribe: http://eonli.ne/RedCarpetSubscribe

About E! Live from the Red Carpet: Who’s wearing what? Who’s dating who? We’re here to find out. Join E! Live from the Red Carpet at the Oscars, the Grammys, the Golden Globes, and more. Our correspondents are on the Red Carpet, ready to get the scoop from your favorite stars, musicians and personalities. Whether at a glamorous awards show, or the premiere of your favorite TV series, E! Live from the Red Carpet is the go to source for the latest beauty trends, the hottest red carpet fashion and exclusive celebrity interviews.

Connect with E! Live from the Red Carpet and E! News: Visit the E! News WEBSITE: http://eonli.ne/enews Follow E! Live from the Red Carpet on TWITTER: http://eonli.ne/RedCarpetTwitter Follow E! News on TWITTER: http://eonli.ne/ENewsTW Like E! News on FACEBOOK: http://eonli.ne/ENewsFB Check out E! News on INSTAGRAM: http://eonli.ne/ENewsIG

Fitness Buff Tamra Judge Talks Diet and Next Competition | E! Live from the Red Carpet https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD-1jAmL42qnEszozefaa1g

#Buff #Carpet #Competition #diet #Fitness #From #Judge #Live #Next #Talks #Tamra

New Post has been published on http://fitnessembodied.com/the-best-green-smoothie-recipe-with-the-health-master-clean-eating/

The Best Green Smoothie Recipe | With the Health Master | CLEAN EATING

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8gSH2m2iGk If you are new to making green shakes or shakes in general or if you are looking for a new recipe, this video is for you! If you are a parent on the go this is a great way to get in your nutrients, it’s fast for you and fun for the kids, they’ll love the taste!

Often parents try to eat healthy but forget that the kids need the same foundation, shakes are a great way to make eating healthy fun and interactive.

This is a great breakfast smoothie or snack throughout the day.

Lets take back our health! Its is important to try and buy organic as much as you can, I understand its not easy, but the effort makes a difference, and its still a reduction of toxic chemicals for you and your family.

What you will need: 1 cup frozen mango 1 cup frozen pineapple 1 apple 1 pear 1 stalk of celery Handful of parsley 1 tall glass of organic coconut water

Love you guys!

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