Which Are You? Ferrari or Moped?

​You’ve worked so hard to finally buy that dream car you’ve always wanted, it’s got a beautiful exterior, and has an engine comparable to the one of an airplane. You will spend thousands of dollars a year on maintenance for it, give it the best quality fuel, and keep it as clean as possible. You do this to ensure the longevity of your car, and its performance. Your body should be treated no different.
We want to look like Ferrari’s and perform like Lamborghini’s, but yet many individuals fuel their bodies like a cheap moped they found at a yard sale. I understand that life should be enjoyed; foods should be eaten for pleasure at times and not performance. But you’re not a dog, so you don’t need to get used to rewarding yourself with food.
The kind of fuel we put into our body will dictate not only what we will look like, but how we feel. Athletes should be very aware that their performance and consistency will depend on their nutrition. It is very common to see athletes neglect the proper consumption of macronutrients and sufficient amount of micronutrients.
Macronutrients are important, these include protein, carbohydrates and fats. Depending on the goal and the activity being performed, one must adjust the ratio of these 3 nutrients to suit their needs. Protein will be responsible for the repair of muscle tissue from stress; recovery for a person exercising is the main concern in between training sessions. Carbohydrates will be extremely important for the quality of performance, as most of your energy for high level activities, will come from them. Lastly, fats should not be neglected, as they will be another key source of energy, and important for proper hormone production.
Not only is it important to ingest the proper amounts of macronutrients in our diet, but it is also important to look at our consumption of micronutrients. Micronutrients involve all the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants responsible for our health and wellbeing. If we do not get the proper micronutrients our body requires, we will not be able to properly utilize our macronutrients, and our immune system can become jeopardized. In order to get the proper amount of micronutrients, high quality sources of foods must be eaten. Nutrient dense foods like fruits, vegetables, unprocessed grains, and meats should make up the bulk of our diets. It is also not a bad idea to suplement with a multivitamin and a greens supplement to make sure you are filling in the gaps of the nutrients you are not getting in. Oftentimes, we tend to get used to routine and eat the same foods, which can lead to a deficiency in key nutrients.
You must see yourself as a high quality machine, and you must give yourself the highest quality form of fuel to perform the best. Make sure to ingest the proper amounts of macronutrients, micronutrients and high quality sources of food to maximize your performance. If you don’t, you are really falling short of the potential you could have. A lot of times we don’t know where to start with our nutrition and that is why I am here to help you improve your eating habits. Even professional athletes seek help from nutrition coaches, so there is no reason why you should feel scared to try out a coach. At Pure Strength Athletics, we want to finally help you reach those goals you’ve been working so hard towards. If you have any questions, contact Alex or myself and we will be sure to get you on the right path!