Next Level Fitness- Part 3

After strengthening your core and then balancing the amount of aerobic/anaerobic training, supporting your body nutritionally is the next best way to take your fitness to the next level. The first choice is to listen to your Mom, and eat at least 5 servings of veggies and fruit, (preferably organic) eat lean and clean protein, moderate complex carbohydrates and minimal sugar. The less processed, fried and fast foods, the better. Due to depleted soils, it’s a good idea to supplement. For performance, my top 3 recommendations are B complex, vitamin C, and Co Enzyme Q 10.  

B Complex- The B vitamins are extremely important in many, many reactions in the body. You need these for carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism (and alcohol, too) as well as for energy production. Seriously, need I say more? The list is so long and I cannot over emphasize how important the B vits are. Make sure the label has all of these: B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, biotin and folate listed on the label.

Vitamin C: First of all, vitamin C is a great antioxidant. If you are an aerobic junkie or training for a marathon, then that is reason enough to take 1 gram of vitamin C per day. It gets even better, though! This lovely vitamin is important in enzyme activation, nerve impulse transmission, muscle contraction and tone…. Need I say more? Go eat an orange and buy a quality vitamin C product for daily love for your body.

Co Enzyme Q 10: Critical for energy production in our cells, this powerhouse molecule is another great addition for fitness training. Actually, the way that is works makes it great for health as well, providing protection for the heart with it’s energy producing capacity. Can you even believe that it’s a great anti-oxidant as well? True, very true.

It’s a great idea to ask your healthcare provider- MD, DC, pharmacist, or RD about the amounts just right for you. Getting a nutrition consult to assess your protein, calorie and nutrient needs for your fitness training is a great way to take your fitness to the next level. If you are in Austin, make an appointment with me, and I’ll be happy to go over these topics on a one on one basis. I could on with more recommendations, but this is a blog, so I’ll stop here… J