This simple smoothie features pineapple and ginger, both of which contain antioxidants that help curb inflammation and promote recovery. Apples also add vitamin C, while kale and chia seeds pack even more nutrients. You can make it with plain water or try coconut water for extra flavor. Lean Endurance take;
For an athlete, a pineapple can provide 22 grams of good complex carbohydrates for quick and healthy energy to re-fuel after a workout.
Bromelain (an enzyme specific to the pineapple) reduces strains, sprains, joint pain and inflammation that is essential in post workout recovery
Kale contains antioxidant vitamins A, C, and K — and sulphur-containing phytonutrients
It has antioxidants and carotenoids that are known to be anti-cancer health benefits
Promotes lutein and zeaxanthin compounds which helps with eye health
Helps lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease, especially when kale is cooked instead of raw
Its a rare occasion that we recommend anything out of a package and that is by any way “processed”. While it is the ideal to eat organic minimally processed foods, engineered foods such as UCAN do have their place in training. This recipe is a slow burning, high fiber and full of awesome fruit energy - to help fuel before or during a workout. Lean Endurance takeaways;
Steady energy.
Allows the body to burn fat for fuel due to the very minimal insulin response.
Healthy, efficient calories.
“moves the dial” in the leaning out process and enhances body composition.
Bolognese is a rich ragu that simmers for hours, coaxing flavor from aromatic vegetables. Plant-based, lentil bolognese honors its roots with steady (thankfully quicker!) preparation that gets its rich flavor from caramelized vegetables. Lean Endurance take;
Soluble fiber is a powerful natural appetite suppressant, helpful in leaning out and reducing total daily calories when needed.
The scrub-brush effect of fiber helps clean out bacteria and other buildup in your intestines, and reduces your risk for colon cancer.
Fiber helps keep you regular. A high-fiber diet helps you have soft, regular bowel movements, reducing constipation.
Studies have found that eating soluble fiber reduces the levels of hunger hormones produced by the body
Pasta is an important part of the athlete's diet. While the body burns fat and protein, it must first convert them into carbohydrates, making the body work harder. Whole grain pasta typically contains less sugar than white pasta, which can also help athletic performance.
Tacos are a crowd favorite, no matter the time of day. This balanced meal gives you enough carbohydrates to fuel your energy in the morning, plus lots of fiber and protein to keep you full longer. It’s also easy to double or triple this recipe if you are needing calories and are hungry! Lean Endurance take;
Benefits of a High Fiber Breakfast. ... Fiber helps the body stay fuller longer and helps to control blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
In addition, eating a high fiber diet is a useful tool for weight-loss because fiber expands in the stomach helping the body feel full and an individual to eat less throughout the day.
Its a great food combination that sets up your active lifestyle and or training.
This bowl combines hearty farro with over easy eggs and a rainbow of vegetables for a nutritious and filling meal. Get creative and use whatever veggies you have on hand, or soft boil the eggs for a slightly different take on this classic veggie bowl. Lean endurance take;
Eggs are loaded with high-quality proteins, vitamins, minerals, good fats and various trace nutrients
Farro is an extremely nutritious grain. It's an excellent source of protein, fiber and nutrients like magnesium, zinc and some B vitamins. It's a much healthieralternative to white rice or other refined grains.
Avocados are a great source of vitamins C, E, K, and B-6, as well as riboflavin, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid, magnesium, and potassium.
Eating healthy fats supports skin health, enhances the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, and may even help boost the immune system.
5 ingredients meal; Sometimes just looking at a recipe can seem overwhelming when the ingredient list is a mile long. Who wants to do all that chopping and sautéing after a long day at work? Lets keep things simple! That means relying on recipes that are healthy, flavorful, and best of all, have just five main ingredients (aside from staples that I always have on hand, like oil, vinegar, herbs, salt and pepper). Lean Endurance take;
Once considered to be a North African delicacy, couscous is now a commonly consumed food in most parts of the world.
Couscous is a carbohydrate-rich food that can be consumed as an alternative to pasta, rice and other grain-based foods.
Particularly rich in selenium, an important mineral that protects your body and supports thyroid gland function, DNA production and reproduction.
Benefits of salmon; Rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids. ...
Between training, work, class, more training - your time is limited. So to make your lives easier, this recipe requires little effort, 30 minutes (or less!) Lean Endurance take;
Shrimp has a variety of health benefits. It is high in several vitamins and minerals, and is a rich source of protein.
Low in carbs and calories and packed with nutrients, shrimp are an ideal choice if you're trying to shed some pounds.
Eating shrimp may also promote heart and brain health due to its content of omega-3 fatty acids and the antioxidant astaxanthin.
Use white rice? Intense workouts significantly deplete sugar (glycogen) in your muscles and eating the right carbohydrates are important to replenish what has been used. Athletes prefer white rice as a great carbohydrate choice to accomplish this goal.
Need a healthy, delicious on-the-go breakfast item or just a healthy snack to curb your hunger before a bigger day of activity Banana nut muffins! These are filled with crunchy oven-baked walnuts and and delicious-smelling spices that are sure to be tasty and power your through your day. Lean Endurance take;
Oatmeal is packed with soluble fiber, which reduces your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the "bad" cholesterol.
Oatmeal takes a while to digest, preventing unwelcome spikes in blood sugar, and is often recommended by nutritionists for weight lossbecause it helps keep you feeling full.
Oatmeal has a high soluble fiber content, is high in complex carbohydrates, is a good source of protein and has a low glycemic index, which provides a sustained release of energy into the bloodstream—imperative for runners.
Oatmeal offers your body a regular dose of Vitamin B and is rich in minerals and antioxidants.
Keep things simple with this six-ingredient avocado tuna salad savory desert or lunch snack that’s quick to create. Apple slices replace traditional bread for crunch minimizing extra carbs. Rotisserie chicken can stand in for canned tuna to add another option to suit your taste. Lean Endurance take;
In moderation, tuna is a healthy, low-calorie protein source.
It's rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential nutrients that aid your heart, brain, and immune system
Tuna is a great source of lean high biological value protein for all endurance athletes, meaning that it provides all the essential amino acids required for repair and recovery especially post training
Given that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, your chances of eating breakfast improve when you plan a meal that is both yummy and offers nutrients that will help you perform well. Lean endurance takeaway;
Lentils can be highly beneficial for heart health.
The fiber, folic acid, and potassium in lentils all support heart health.
Lentils add essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber to the diet, and they provide protein and sustenance that can replace meat in meals.
Eggs are loaded with high-quality proteins, vitamins, minerals, good fats and various trace nutrients.
Only 77 calories, with 5 grams of fat and 6 grams of protein with all 9 essential amino acids. Rich in iron, phosphorus, selenium and vitamins A, B12, B2 and B5 (among others)
Quinoa is closely related to spinach; much like spinach, it is packed with nutrients. It is a terrific source of protein, amino acids, insoluble fiber, magnesium, riboflavin, and phytonutrients.
Regular consumption of quinoa can improve your cardiovascular health, reduce the frequency of migraine headaches, and even decrease your risk of certain cancers.
These Quinoa Black Bean Burrito Bowls vegan-style with toppings like pico de gallo, tomatoes, corn, or guacamole.
If you’re good with dairy, try shredded jack or cheddar cheese, lowfat sour cream, or even Greek yogurt.
Spice it up with hot sauce or sriracha.
Loaded good stuff, and packed with nutrients… it’s a simple, tasty meal you can feel good about!
As with all simple dishes, the quality of the ingredients is paramount for good results. Use asparagus and baby carrots or other veggies that are in season. Take advantage of the carrot leaves for their flavor, but you could just as easily use fennel bulbs and leaves or some other fragrant vegetable that’s in season. Lean Endurance take;
Tuna, for its part, is a source of high-quality protein with almost no fat.
It contains all essential amino acids required by the body for growth and maintenance of lean muscle tissue.
Canned tuna can be a good source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, with 150 milligrams or more per four-ounce serving.
Turkey Bolognese with Roasted Spaghetti Squash is a hearty Italian feast with a low carb twist. Ground turkey is gently simmered with carrots, onions, and mushrooms in a rich tomato sauce. The flesh of the squash separates into strands to mimic pasta noodles for a tasty vegetable-packed meal. Lean endurance take;
This no-bake recipe is juicy and delicious plus it's packed with antioxidants. Top it with yogurt, dark chocolate chips, your favorite fiber-filled berries (Or raspberries and blueberries, but anything goes), and grab a slice … or two. Lean Endurance take;
Sweet and satisfying for any sweet tooth.
Filling and healthy.
A more sensible snack option when hunger comes calling.
Low glycemic; watermelon and other fruits in this recipe will not spike blood sugar levels.
It’s a type of sprouted bread, made from a variety of whole grains and legumes that have started germinating (sprouting) Compared to white bread, which is made of refined wheat flour, Ezekiel bread is much richer in healthy nutrients and fiber. Lean endurance take;
Sprouting grains increases many of the grains' key nutrients, including B vitamins, vitamin C, folate, fiber, and essential amino acids often lacking in grains like lysine.
Other nutrients include: fiber, manganese, selenium, and thiamin. Ezekiel bread has a lot of benefits over 100% whole wheat bread.
High in fiber, protein and other key nutrients our active bodies need.
True, trail mix can be high in fat and sugar. Fat from the nuts and seeds and sugar from the dried fruit and occasional add-ins. HOWEVER! ..your bodies need both fat and sugar to function well as an active human being. It is the QUALITY of the fat and sugar that affect our bodies, not whether or not it’s a part of our diet. good quality homemade trail mix, in moderation is 100% part of a healthy diet. Especially in those circumstances of high physical activity where you need energy, fast. Lean Endurance take;
Eating a healthy daily portion size of nuts and dried fruits delivers a nutritious dose of antioxidants, protein, unsaturated fats, fiber, vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids, and other vitamins and nutrients essential to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
It's fast, it's tasty and easy to make
It offers satisfaction to hunger and usable energy for your body.
Check out the nutrition label on store-bought trail mix packages to find out what each brand considers a serving size.
As with any food, if you make your own instead of buying pre-made trail mix, you'll have a better handle on the ingredients and the resulting nutrition potential.
You can try some variations on the basic theme of dried fruit-and-nuts, by adding air-popped popcorn, soy nuts, and puffed rice or toasted oats cereal.
A little raisin appetizer before your workout may work as well as a sports drink in helping you keep pace and could crank up your fat-burning engines to boot. In a study, endurance athletes ate either sports gel or 2.5 to 3 ounces of raisins before doing 45 minutes of cycling. Blood samples were collected before and during their workouts. The raisin eaters had no problem keeping pace with the gel takers and had higher blood levels of free fatty acids. Translation: Raisins revved up their metabolisms to burn more fat. Lean endurance take;
Despite their small size, raisins are packed with energy and rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Raisins are naturally sweet and high in sugar and calories, but they're beneficial to our health when eaten in moderation.
Raisins can aid digestion, boost iron levels, and keep your bones strong.
Some athletes may rely solely on raisins instead of sports gels to fuel their muscles before and during a workout.
While fueling with a pre-workout high performance energy bar is one way to energize your workout, you could less expensively consume 250 calories of Fig Newtons or a granola bar. All will offer the “magical” energy source that muscles need for a high-energy workout: carbohydrate! Lean endurance take;
The best pre-exercise snacks are foods that digest easily and do not talk back to you.
Standard supermarket foods can do that as well as engineered products.
The main role of carbohydrates is to provide energy. When they are digested, carbohydrates are broken down into glucose to provide readily available energy for the body to use quickly and effectively.
Carbohydrates are the most important form of fuel for exercise and sports activities.
Energy: Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for our brains and bodies to function properly.
When carbs are eaten they are eventually digested and broken down into smaller sugar molecules called glucose. These glucose molecules are stored in the liver and muscles to be used for fuel, especially during physical activity.
Carbohydrates improve athletic performance by delaying fatigue and allowing an athlete to compete at higher levels for longer.
Juicy and refreshing melon is tasty on its own, but filling up half a cantaloupe with creamy yogurt is even better. Whats more? For your post activity meal there are many benefits.
Lean endurance take;
Greek yogurt is an excellent source of calcium, which can help improve bone health.
It also contains probiotics, which support a healthy bacterial balance in the gut.
Eating Greek yogurt may be associated with lower blood pressure and a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.
They are dense in antioxidants, vitamins and nutrients,
Rich in beta carotene, vitamin C and assorted antioxidants, melons are good for immune support.
They also contain potassium, which normalises blood pressure.
