Last week we shared the secret to building habits you’ll keep. If you missed it, be sure to go back and read it here.
This week we’re focusing on a habit that you’ve probably committed to at some point - more movement.
Movement, or exercise, is important for more than just getting in shape. It affects your emotional and mental state too, making it one of the best ways to improve your overall health. It boosts your energy, strengthens your muscles, improves your mood, promotes better sleep, helps with weight management, helps protect against a range of illnesses, and can even be an opportunity to socialize!
Exercise provides your body with so many benefits, but it’s important to understand that quality movement requires quality nutrition. If you want to get the most out of your physical activity, you need to fuel your body with nutrient-dense foods it can actually use.
Your muscles require protein to repair and rebuild, your brain and every cell in your body requires carbohydrates to perform, and your hormones require healthy fats. All three macronutrients are essential for your body to function properly, so when one or the other is lacking, performance will suffer. Additionally, if the quality of those three nutrients is poor from processed or high sugar foods, you’ll notice that exercise is more difficult because your body doesn’t have the support it needs.
Bottom line: If you’re not seeing the results you want from exercise, you need to evaluate your nutrition
“What types of nutrient dense foods do I need to support my workout routine?”
I’m glad you asked! I’m gonna break it down for you by pre and post workout so you can unlock better performance to get better results.
PRE-WORKOUT
Does the word ‘pre-workout’ make you think of that guy at the gym drinking some vibrant colored beverage in a shaker bottle before his workout?
Not everyone consumes a pre-workout beverage, but many people do, while others stick to an actual meal before they exercise. There is no right or wrong, but for those of you who like that extra boost from actual pre-workout beverages, it’s important to check the ingredients to avoid anything artificial and too much sugar. Nowadays, for every clean pre-workout, there’s a half-dozen with ingredients like artificial flavors, sucralose, dextrose, and dyes your body can't even recognize.
Why would people buy these when they’re loaded with so many unhealthy ingredients? For performance. But they also choose these because they usually taste better than the naturally sweetened options. Improved performance AND better flavor? It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out why these fly off the shelf, but enhanced performance and great flavor doesn’t exactly mean a great product.
If your biggest concern has always been flavor, you’re probably realizing you’ve been compromising on quality. If that’s you, you should try one of KOS’s energizing blends that’s made with clean ingredients for both quality performance and amazing flavor!
Bolt From the Blue is an energizing blend with 70mg of green coffee beans per scoop and an adaptogenic blend of rhodiola, cordyceps, lion’s mane and ashwagandha. It helps increase endurance, reduce fatigue, enhance focus and mental clarity, and improve reaction time. It’s naturally colored by blue spirulina (no artificial dyes here!) and is free of artificial flavors and sweeteners. The flavor is electric boostberry and aside from being a great pre-workout, it can be used in place of energy drinks or first thing in the morning if coffee isn’t your thing!
If you prefer your energy boost without caffeine, then KOS Love You Berry Much may be exactly what you need! Beetroot powder increases both circulation and cell oxygenation, which helps increase endurance, reduce fatigue and decrease post-workout inflammation. It is jam-packed with antioxidants from various berries to support your immune system and a radiant glow!. It tastes like a fruity popsicle and it’s healthy for you. What’s not to love?!
POST-WORKOUT
Following strenuous physical activity, your muscles get microtears as they are broken down, which is why you feel sore after a hard workout. These muscle tears need protein to repair and get stronger.
For years, researchers thought there was a teeny, tiny window of time for you to consume your post-workout protein shake for it to actually benefit your body. Updated studies, however, have shown that this window, once thought to be only 30 minutes, is actually up to 2 hours. So there’s no need to frantically chug that post-workout shake before you even walk off the gym floor - you’ve got time, chill out man!
“But how much protein should I have post-workout?”
For lighter activities like yoga, jogging, walking, or a casual day on the stair-climber or bike, including 10 to 15 grams of protein would be sufficient as there will be very minimal micro-tearing of your muscles.
If your workout involves more strain such as running, HIIT, cycling, TRX, mountain biking, rock climbing, intermittent sports, weightlifting, or snowboarding, you’ll need 20 to 25 grams of protein.
KOS Organic Plant Protein Powder gives you 20 grams of multi-source plant protein that provides your body with all the essential amino acids. It contains a digestive enzyme blend to help reduce bloating and increase nutrient absorption, vitamins and minerals from fruits and vegetables, omega-3 fatty acids, and quality sources of fiber!
You won’t find sucralose, dextrose, or artificial anything, just clean ingredients your body needs to reach peak performance. It’s convenient, it’s delicious, and it’s healthy!
Mix 2 scoops into your favorite liquid, add into pancakes, protein bites, and oatmeal or bake into your favorite desserts like brownies, mug cakes, and donuts! Your post-workout doesn’t have to always be a shake. Get creative with recipes in the KOS Kitchen that you’ll be excited to indulge in after your next sweat sesh!
With single, 10, 15 and 30 serve options, KOS is perfect for all your adventures! Pack in your carry-on or toss in the cooler with some single-serve nut milk, so no matter where you go, you’ll always have a delicious treat that’s healthy.
Designed to fit into your lifestyle, KOS delivers quality nutrition in less than 5 minutes a day. Nourish better, so you can perform better.