Cardio Training - Pre and Post Nutrition Matters

Do you want a steady stream of energy while doing your cardio? Would you like to recover at the best optimal well-being and performance? Did you ever "crash" after a long bout of long, intense cardio?

Riding my bike up the Angeles Crest mountains is one of my favorite routes. A while back I had an interesting experience during this long ride. I remember this one group ride I did with 4 other friends. I was feeling so good going up about 22 miles uphill. I didn't' have any food in me from the start. I was "riding high" with excitement. It was a pretty hot day. I told myself "I feel good!"

Coming back down the mountain, I started to feel dizzy. My sugar levels were low. My hands were feeling weak as I held onto the handlebars. I should have prepared better for this long ride by eating first before I left in the morning. I learned a major lesson. I prepared better for my longer cardio rides and always stash an energy bar in my fanny pack. Spend some time an prepare your pre and post training meals and snacks.




Here are some tips:

-All Training Sessions. Have a small whole-food containing protein and moderate glycemic index carbs about an hour prior to your workout. Sample would be: 1 cup of oatmeal with eight egg whites ant 6am, following by your cardio at 7am. If you want to do cardio sooner after eating, choose a rapidly digested meal/snack such as a nutrition shake with 1-cup skim milk, which you can consume, a half hour prior.

-Medium Intense Longer Session. Have a small, quick snack that can be digested prior but try and hold off on it if it is less than 2 hours and just take in a whole-food meal shortly after the session. This will be more of a post workout meal. If you will be training a long distance like I did on my bike trek (which was over 4 hours long), then definitely eat a whole food before leaving.

-For HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) Sessions. Take in a quick digesting drink of quality protein and carbs right after training. A nutritional shake with 2 cups of skim milk. Have a good quality meal replacement drink with a good source of vitamins and minerals. This is short cardio bouts so try and save your meal for after the session.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Adriel_Yapana/66000

How to Get Fit Quick For Summer 7 Golden Rules on How to Get Fit Quick

How to get fit quick, here are 7 vital golden rules in which you can start using daily to see fast results in your fitness work-out sessions.

Keep Hydrated - Hydration affects energy levels and is essential to your work-out performance. Why is this? proper hydration regulates body temperature and heart rate. In just one hour of exercise, you could lose more than a litre of water, depending on your exercise intensity and the air temperature. Without enough water for your body too cool itself you may become dehydrated causing your energy levels to drop and muscle cramps. Drink one cup of water 30 minutes before exercising. If you work out first thing in the morning have a glass of water by your bed side and drink it straight after your alarm goes off. Every 15 minutes during your exercise, drink a cup of water.The harder you work out the more water you will need. After you have completed your exercise drink another cup of water to refresh your body.

Daily Protein - Protein is a major building block for muscle and is used to fuel muscle recovery after you have worked out. If you work out regularly then try and get some protein in every meal you have. It's slow to digest and will keep you full for longer.




Daily Cardio Fitness - You need to be doing cardio work-outs at least 3 - 5 days per week for about 30 minutes - 60 minutes. But, i understand that many people simply do not have the time to do that much. Try and fit 2 days per week for at least an hour each of those two days.

Eat Before & After - You need to eat a little something 1 - 2 hours before you exercise, try thinking of it this way - imagine your body as a furnace, if you start by throwing on big logs, it may not burn as well, as if you put in small amounts regularly. Before you start your fitness work-out, have some protein and low burning carbs. you can have a small bowl of cereal, piece of whole grain toast, or a glass of orange juice if your in a hurry in the mornings. After your work out have a healthy snack which contains a little protein.

Always Stretch After Working Out Stretching is also a very vital step as it improves flexibility, blood circulation, prevents muscles from cramping up, prevents an injury and also can help relieve your stress.

Make Sure You Do Your Weights - Reality is as we age natural isn't on our side no more and as a result you start losing muscle mass, so it is very important that your do your weights to keep your muscles strong and healthy. Also having more muscle mass means you'll burn more fat even when your not working out.

Change Your Fitness Routine - After a while of doing the same fitness methods our body naturally gets use to doing it and the effects of those methods may seem to be not doing as much anymore. So you need to change it around bit. For example if you are doing weights try increasing the reps and the load of the weights. This will enable you to continually feel the effects and see the results.

By implementing these 7 rules in your work out sessions, you will get better and faster work out results. How to get fit quick doesn't have to be question you wonder. Have fun in the process as these golden rules will kick start your fitness in the greatest and healthiest way ever.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Kim_Dunbane/146406