Whether you’re a CrossFitter, endurance athlete, runner, calisthenics pro, or even a stay at home mum fitting in whatever activity you possibly can, there are an abundance of foods available to help push you through that gruelling WOD, refuel after a major event, improve muscle growth, and to recover, nourish, and energise your body for the rest of the day ahead.
Here are my top 5 favourite foods that will rocket your athletic performance sky high…
5 Foods to Boost Your Athletic Performance
1. Avocados
Okay, we all know that these little pear shaped fruits are incredibly delicious, and I’m sure that most of you also know that avocados are packed full of super healthy fats – but did you know that avocados were high in potassium and in fact help to balance out our potassium to sodium ratio. Why is this important?1
Well, your body doesn’t store electrolytes and so has to monitor the levels of salt and potassium within your bloodstream. Your body uses what is called a ‘Sodium-Potassium Pump‘ to keep your fluids in balance within your body. It does this by sending sodium ions from areas of high sodium concentration to areas of low concentration of potassium ions and vice versa. An imbalance in your sodium to potassium ratio can lead to hypertension (high blood pressure), heart arrhythmias, thirst, water retention, and muscular weakness and cramps.2, 3
Eat half an avocado a few hours before your workout in order to utilise the healthy fats for energy once your carbohydrate stores deplete. Be careful not to eat avocado for a little while after your workout though as it can lead to lower absorption of carbohydrates and proteins.
If you’d like to read the article in full then head on over to Primal Eye Magazine.
No Comments