Increasing fitness with superfoods

Anyone who spends a fair amount of time around the fitness community will tell you that a proper workout regimen simply won’t be enough unless it’s paired with its necessary counterparts. For example, exercising without stretching and properly cooling down afterwards can limit your muscle recovery and ultimately lead to injury. The same can be said of working out one muscle group too much without strengthening those that surround it. Still, one of the most frequently overlooked aspects of establishing a healthy routine and boosting your overall fitness level is setting a regimented and well-thought out nutrition plan for yourself. It’s important, when doing this, to ensure that your meeting all of your dietary needs while also benefiting other parts of your life, such as your immune system and energy levels. Take a look at these few superfoods that can change the way your diet affects your life:

Rethinking rice
A common ingredient in many of our favorite foods is rice, but we may not spend enough time considering the ways in which we can optimize this part of our diet. Replacing standard white rice with brown rice, however, may change your levels of fitness for the better. According to Health, brown rice is loaded with carbohydrates that can keep your energy levels up across the course of a long day or a grueling workout. Further, brown rice is very high in fiber, meaning  your body will feel full for a longer period of time. If you’re planning on getting a set in on the cardio fitness equipment at home, try eating a meal containing brown rice an hour or two before you leave home. You should notice an increase in energy levels.

The quinoa craze
One of the most talked about foods in the fitness world is certainly quinoa. This seed (which is often mistaken for a grain) originated in the diet of South American cultures centuries ago. Often referred to as a ‘complete’ food, quinoa offers an incredible amount of health benefits and can even aid in stimulating weight loss. According to Fitday, quinoa has six grams of dietary fiber and seven grams of protein per serving, meaning that it will be remarkably filling and aid in your body building muscle. It’s also very low from a caloric standpoint and contains large amounts of the eight primary amino acids and vitamin B12, all of which are integral to having a high energy level and maintaining a weight loss regimen.

Pineapple
One of the hardest things to do after a workout can be to find a snack that you actually enjoy eating as a recovery food. A great way to get away from the pastes and powders of the world is by replacing them with fresh fruit like pineapple. Pineapple has a high content of bromelain. This naturally occurring chemical has anti-inflammatory traits, meaning that it can reduce the amount of soreness you feel the next day and also be a vital addition to ensuring muscle repair.