When you add more than one healthy food into one meal or snack, it gives you more bang for your buck — nutrition-wise. Food synergy is what it’s called, and the more food synergy you have, the more the body will benefit. We all want our bodies to keep up with our lifestyle, so try a couple of these combos, along with exercising, and see if you feel more energetic:
Before exercising: You need energy to get through your workout session, so try a combination of spinach and blueberries in a smoothie. Blend all ingredients together, digest, and get fit!
- 1 ½ cups coconut water
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ Cup plain low-fat greek yogurt
- 1 Cup packed baby spinach
- 2 Tablespoon unsalted almonds
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 2/3 Cup frozen blueberries
After exercising: Studies have shown that a whole grain cereal and low fat, reduced, or skim milk can help with muscle recovery. Of course, try to avoid high-sugar cereals, like Frosted Flakes or Golden Crisp, and go for cereals containing whole grains and few grams of sugar. This will prevent adding fat calories from sugar back into your body.
At night: No eating right before bed, unless it’s something healthy and at least 30 minutes before bed time. A study from Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise concluded that some protein before bed will also help in muscle recovery, in addition to your after workout recovery meal. A good combination of food for this is plain Greek yogurt and hemp seeds, which will pack in a ton of protein while you’re sleeping through the night.
*For more on healthy food combos, check out IDEA Fitness Journal, April 2013 edition
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