Foods to Beat Summer Workout Soreness

 Does your summer workout have you sore? If the answer is, yes- then that is great! It means your workout, is working! When you workout, you are trying to break down your muscles to build them back up even stronger. This is what makes our thighs tighter and our butts a little higher! When we get sore from workouts we are feeling the build up of lactic acid our muscles produce and oxidative stress on our cells. A little inflammation! With that said, working out is only the first step in getting a tighter tush. You will not get the results you want from spending hours in the gym if you aren't eating to fuel great results. Your muscles have to repair and recover before you get tighter- and before you can break them down again in the gym! So, here a few few foods to help calm down those sore muscles and help you stay on your fitness quest!

 1. Tart Cherry Juice- Tart Cherry Juice has tons of antioxidant and anti inflammatory properties. The antioxidant properties in cherry juice help knock out free radicals produced from your muscles while working out. This natural source of anti inflammatory works similar to a non steroid anti inflammation drug, like Advil! You can try taking, 1 oz of tart cherry juice, daily as a supplement to help with your workouts and recovery. Tart cherry juice also has an added benefit to working out of helping to reset your bodies natural levels of melatonin to promote more restful sleep. A very important step in weight training! Muscles repair and grow when we sleep.

 2. Blueberries- These little power houses are also great at fighting off all kinds of free radicals and reducing oxidative stress! Very important for maintaining cellular health and aiding in recovery. I recommend eating a handful or adding a cup to a smoothie daily.

 3. Ginger- Ginger is super rich in the inflammation fighting compound, gingerol. Ginger is known for helping with pain (even joint pain/arthritis)  and helping to fight inflammation! I eat fresh ginger every day. If you can't get fresh ginger, the next best thing is dried. If you use dried, you only need half as much. The gingerol does through a process when being dehydrated which increases the intensity about twice as much and changes it to shogaols. You can eat the ginger, put it in tea, throw some on your smoothies, or even bathe in it!

 4. Apple Cider Vinegar- I know you knew this one would be on here! Where do I begin... Only use ORGANIC RAW apple cider vinegar- or you won't get any of the fabulous benefits. I use Braggs. Make sure you are buying one with the 'mother' floating around in the jar (that crazy slimy stuff) and be sure to shake before use. The mother in the ACV is made up of strand like enzymes connected like protein molecules and bacteria. These little miracles are what heals you, you've got to have the enzymes! the ACV gives you  good dose of potassium and magnesium, which low levels are both linked to muscle fatigue and cramping. ACV also helps break down lactic acid and flush your liver- while promoting the healing! It also helps alkalize your system (important if you drink coffee) and boosts your immune system- great for warding off those pesky gym germs ;) You want to be sure to dilute the vinegar before consuming since it is acidic to avoid damage to your tooth enamel or throat. I drink 2 tablespoons daily in 32 oz of water- through a straw! Then I brush my teeth :) I can't say enough good stuff about ACV, but it takes some getting used to. Start slow by adding a few teaspoons to your water and work your way up. If you are on any medications for your heart, water pills, or diabetes you will want to check with your doctor first for possible interactions. You can also use about 2 cups of ACV into a hot bath to help draw lactic acid out of your muscles through your skin.

 5. Water- This is so important in the recovery of any type of healing and maintaining optimal health. If you are dehydrated, your cells can't function properly and you are going to have some problems... On an average day, you should be drinking at least half of your body weight, in ounces, of water. If you drink anything caffeinated, then add that same amount in water to your original total to make up from the dehydrating effects of the caffeine. It is so important to stay hydrated and also for flushing out toxins. If you ever feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated! Every time you use the potty, it should be almost clear- if not, go drink a glass of water! You absolutely need to stay properly hydrated when exercising to maintain a healthy balance of electrolytes. Not to mention, if you don't drink enough water- your body will naturally hold on to it.Water is the most important tool for detoxifying by flushing out free radicals and lactic acid. So, drink up!

 There are so many more ways I can tell you to eat for training recovery- these are just a few to get started! Everyone is biologically different and will have their own specific nutritional needs- especially if you are serious about your fitness training. It is very important to remember, that what we do outside of the gym is almost more important than what we do inside. You have to create the environment for good health starting with what you put inside your body- you can never 'work off' the effects of eating a poor diet. Even if it doesn't show on the outside (which it normally does), you can never, ever escape the consequences poor nutrition has on the inside of your body. We lead hectic lives, we need to eat and train for it!


 Love and Gratitude,
 Natalie