Watermelon is an important component of the diet of any athlete. This fruit contains a large amount of nutrients with a minimum of calories, helps to “expel” excess fluid from the body, thereby contributing to healthy weight loss.
In addition, watermelon contains a large amount of fiber - it is no secret that dietary fiber is actively involved in metabolism, slows down the absorption of carbohydrates, preventing blood glucose levels from “jumping” (which means that they “control” appetite).
10 minutes is enough to cool down. After aerobic exercise such as jogging or cycling, the speed can be reduced and inhaled deeply, and stretching exercises are very useful after strength training. Stretching stimulates the lymphatic system, which means waste is removed from the body more quickly.
Static stretching after a workout reduces muscle tension and helps you relax. It promotes mobility and improves the nutritional and oxygen supply of the skin and muscles, which promotes regeneration. About 80 percent of muscles are made up of water. Fluid deficiency can severely limit muscle performance and regeneration.
What is the value of watermelon
In addition to the above advantages of the fetus, the benefits of watermelon for the body of an athlete are also as follows:
- It contains a significant proportion of lycopene, a substance that helps reduce the risk of a number of cardiovascular diseases and prevents the appearance of cancer cells. Lycopene is "responsible" for proper breathing during exercise.
- Watermelon contains vitamin A - "top dressing" necessary for vision.
- The fruit is a source of such trace elements useful for the musculoskeletal system as magnesium and potassium.
- Watermelon is a natural safe antioxidant that fights free radicals.
- The diuretic properties of this fruit help not only to remove from the body excess water(this is a “ballast” that interferes with weight loss), but also helps to cleanse the digestive organs and excrete toxins, toxins, salts.
- Watermelon contains the amino acid L-citrulline, which is able to lower blood pressure, respectively, this product is valuable for hypertensive patients. The same substance, according to experts, can relieve muscle post-workout pain.
Watermelon and sports
Can you eat watermelon after a workout? Most experts give a positive answer to this question. Due to the high fiber content, the fruit helps to cope with excessive appetite, to achieve a feeling of satiety. At the same time, watermelon has a low glycemic index, so it is introduced into the diet not only by athletes, but also by patients struggling with obesity and diabetes.
For better regeneration, it is important to drink enough before and after training. Depending on body size and physical activity, the body needs 2-3 liters per day to stay adequately hydrated. In addition to water, electrolyte drinks and foods are helpful. During very intense workouts, many electrolytes are lost through sweat.
Electrolytes help regulate muscle and nerve function and balance the acid-base balance. coconut water, bananas, potatoes, spirulina and watermelons provide the body with important electrolytes and are very suitable after a workout. After intense training in the muscles, the nerve nerves are emptied.
Perhaps you should not eat watermelon after an evening workout - it is still a diuretic product, the use of which before bedtime can cause some discomfort. You can eat a few pieces of fruit 2-3 hours before rest.
Some nutritionists recommend not only eating watermelon after a workout, but also drinking watermelon juice during sports. Such a measure will help replenish calorie costs, “supply” the muscles with the necessary nutrients, and, in general, will have a positive effect on metabolism.
Nutrient-rich foods promote muscle regeneration after exercise. They speed up the healing process of damaged muscle fibers and reduce muscle cramps and soreness. Especially good food post-workout with protein, good fats and carbohydrates. Proteins serve as building blocks for our muscles, fats help reduce inflammation and support the healing process of damaged muscle fibers, and carbohydrates provide the body with plenty of energy.
As a post-workout meal, a banana-coconut shake with vegetable protein powder, a rag of oats with almond oil or an organic egg omelet with avocado and fluffy natural rice. During this time, the body is very receptive.
Important: Research results show that regular use watermelon juice increases the content of such an essential amino acid as arginine in the human body by 11%.
Thanks to this substance, the so-called “muscle pumping” effect is achieved - blood vessels expand and muscles actively grow during training.
What we do after training has a big impact on our learning outcomes. The better our body recovers after training, the better the athletic performance. When we eat something, it is crucial. The 16 Hours of the Body book explains why we need to eat for 8 hours every day, why it's so important, and how it affects our health and fitness. Intermittent fasting affects our cells, hormones and facilitates fat loss.
Your body knows the perfect diet
There are at least as many dietary rules as there are food books. Instead, we listen to our body because it knows best what it needs. The truth is, we don't stick to rigid dietary formulas, formulas, and exact numbers. We eat what we want and so much until we are satisfied. Numerous nutritionists are not tired of giving us the rules of nutrition. No matter what proper nutrition you count first - you don't need it! There are such rules only because we have forgotten how to listen to our own body.
Athletes who regularly play sports should consume natural watermelon, which does not contain nitrates. This fruit improves blood circulation, nourishes muscles beneficial substances, while, unlike many sports supplements, does not contain flavors, sweeteners, dyes and other harmful components. Watermelon perfectly quenches thirst (this is important for training on hot days).
In my opinion, the media and the food industry. media because they advertise low-weight women and six-pack men as beauty ideals and current trending diets. The food industry, due to its ever-growing supply of fast food, convenience foods and functional foods, is a food product for which we do not manufacture.
As a result, it becomes increasingly difficult for us to make free decisions for or against a food product. A healthy body, hunger and appetite can hardly develop under these conditions. When you give your body a chance, it knows exactly what it needs - and it gets it. Then dietary rules are redundant!
The only thing that all athletes should take into account is the diuretic properties of this fruit - perhaps watermelon in the evening should be abandoned. Otherwise this product completely safe and useful - it is not only possible, but also necessary to include in your daily diet and “close” the carbohydrate window with it after training.
Instead of Diet Rules: 3 Simple Exercises for a Better Body Feel
You come home from a hard training session in the summer with a completely depleted energy store. Chances are good that it's something thin, light, sweet, such as scoop juice, a large bowl of watermelon, or even. If it's time for a solid meal, eat something hearty or salty. Christmas holidays are already a few weeks old - and for many three days of feasting. Since December, you automatically digest vegetables and consume less fat, sugar and alcohol.
- In the morning after an exciting party the day before, there was one or the other beer.
- And, of course, not enough water.
- You wake up and grab a large bottle of water.
To get the most out of sports, it is important not to eat everything before and after exercise. You need to know what and when you can eat, so as not to gain excess weight.
Nutrition before training
To be more resilient during your workout, eat foods that will create the necessary energy supply for your body. It is worth paying attention to starchy foods. Perfect fit semolina, corn, pasta from durum varieties wheat or rice.
Do not forget also about protein and do not deny yourself white meat of chicken or turkey, brewed oatmeal or cottage cheese. However, be careful in the use of these products: you need to eat them 3 hours before playing sports, so as not to suffer from discomfort during the training itself.
Half an hour before training
Half an hour before class, you can eat foods rich in water. The ideal option will be cucumbers, tomatoes, celery, radishes or, for example, watermelon. If your goal is to build muscle mass, then give preference to low fat fruits. glycemic index. It can be apples, pears or strawberries.
As for drinks, it is best to drink strong coffee without sugar and cream half an hour before training, or green tea. Thanks to these drinks, epinephrine and noepinephrine are released in our body, which, in turn, contributes to the release of fat reserves from cells. Thus, you lose exactly fat, not muscle mass. In addition, it has a beneficial effect on the activity of your workout, since the feeling of fatigue comes much later.
Water will be the best source of energy. It must be drunk before, after and during training in small sips of 30-50 milliliters.
You won't find the right body feeling from today until tomorrow. But you haven't lost it after 3 days. That's why today is the perfect time to give your body the right to speak again. Let's go with our three main tips. Stop planning meals ahead of time. Think more spontaneously about what you want. It's not easy, and in the beginning your body will call for "pizza" or "chocolate".
It's not just because your body needs pizza or chocolate chocolate, but rather due to the studied dependence on refined sugar and fat. You have to go through a kind of "weaning phase" before your body asks again for things that really do it well.
Can you eat and drink while exercising?
Of course, you can’t eat anything during training. The last meal should be half an hour before the start of classes. But during training, you need to drink water every 20-25 minutes. Hold it in your mouth for a while, don't swallow it right away. This is how you can quench your thirst better.
Do not drink cold water, even if you are very hot. It is better to drink water at room temperature. Do not limit yourself in the use of liquid during classes. When dehydrated, our body suffers from an increased load on the heart.
What to eat after sports
First, replenish fluids after a workout by drinking still water, eating low-fat yogurt, or low-calorie fruit.
Eating after exercise is recommended in the first 30-40 minutes. The thing is that it is during this period that the so-called post-workout or anabolic window opens. At this time, the body is experiencing an urgent need to replenish the expended resources and carbohydrate energy. After exercise, the digestibility of proteins and carbohydrates occurs 4 times faster, and they will not be deposited in fat due to a shortage. In addition, muscle glycogen stores are restored only in the first few hours after training.
To enrich the body with carbohydrates, pay attention to foods in liquid form with a low glycemic index.
Most importantly, do not overeat after sports, leave a feeling of slight hunger. Chicken fillet - best solution, as this type of meat contains a small amount of fat. If you do not want meat, then replace it with 2 eggs or fresh salmon. Indulge in legumes. Their fibers contribute better job intestinal tract.
After training, you can also afford fats, but here you need to be extremely careful. The fat content of products should be no more than 15%. So, you can eat a piece of cheese, a serving of natural cereal with milk, or drink fruit juice.
Try to avoid foods containing caffeine. It promotes the release of insulin, which interferes with the movement of glycogen into the muscles, as well as the use of protein to repair muscle fibers.
Remember that much of a sports diet depends on your personal goals, intensity and type of training.
The appetite for cheese was still there. So give yourself time and try to resist the unhealthy desire for a few weeks. Then your body can return to balance and help you make the right decisions. Distinguish between hunger and appetite - and be honest with yourself. If you are hungry, eat what your body requires! If you "only" have an appetite, you might be bored. You can be busy with other things or use your fruit basket or vegetable courier.
To stay healthy, you must pay attention to the right diet. Depending on the sport, the diet should be adjusted and adapted to your personal needs and preferences. Before you start thinking about your diet, think about what you want to achieve with sports and training. Only then can you find a good and suitable mixture proteins, vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates. But what kind of food is appropriate when?