Pilates in the Pines

For many people who work out, finding the right active diet can be difficult. You don’t want to work out on a full stomach, but at the same time, if you go into a workout on an empty stomach, you’re going to struggle. So how do you find a happy medium?

To start, experiment a little to determine what works best for you. For example, a guy who is going to go run five miles may want to give himself a little longer between eating and exercising. Lifting weights won’t require as much time between a meal and a gym session.

Pilates focuses heavily on your abdominal core muscles. So going into class with a bulging stomach is uncomfortable. We recommend eating a healthy meal 1-2 hours before class, or a healthy snack 30-45 minutes before class.

What does a healthy snack entail? Generally something with a mix of carbs and protein – like pairing an apple or a banana with peanut butter or some raw veggies and hummus.

When it comes to planning your diet, you will definitely notice that the food you put into your body makes a significant difference in your body’s ability to perform. One of the first things we recommend for people who are trying to improve their diets so that their workouts can be more fruitful is to remove most, if not all, processed sugar. This can be challenging, because sugar is in just about everything, but it’s worth it. The next time you are at the store have a look at the ingredients on the packaging and keep an eye out for sugar, agave nectar, honey, corn syrup, rice syrup, etc. Yes, some of these sugars are worse for you than others (namely white sugar and corn syrup), but when you start to cut it out, and replace it with natural sugars, like the kind you find in fruits, you’ll discover that your body operates much more smoothly.

A fact to keep in mind as you’re checking those nutrition labels: 4 grams of sugar = 1 teaspoon of sugar. The equation gives you a visual of piles of raw sugar…something worth avoiding.

Beverages like soda, juice, and protein shakes can be full of sugar. Even name brands that you generally associate with healthy eating can have extremely high sugar levels. When it comes down to it, you should drink water whenever possible, and if you can cut out juice and soft drinks, even better.

Try to make sure you are getting some form of protein at every meal. This can come in a myriad of different forms from tofu, to chicken, to nuts. Your body uses protein to rebuild your muscles – which, when you’re exercising, is a must.

For your carbs and fats, you want to make sure you’re getting the good kinds. You’ve probably heard of complex carbs and omega 3 fatty acids. These are great sources of energy that your body can use to keep you going for longer stretches of time.

You can find complex carbohydrates in whole grains, beans, oatmeal, peas, and yams. Omega 3 fatty acids are in many healthy proteins like fish and nuts. They are also in avocados (which, by the way, are great for your skin and hair), Brussels sprouts, spinach and kale. So a great, pre-workout meal could be a spinach salad with chicken, avocados and nuts. If you add fresh fruit like apples, blueberries, or raspberries, you can give yourself some great fast-energy sources as well.

Remember, your body is like a machine that will only work as well as the stuff you put in it. In with the good, out with the bad.