I go to the gym often.
I love the social aspect of going & saying hi to the regulars.
I love feeling proud of myself for the accomplishment.
I love how my body feels after going.
And when I’m hanging out in the gym, I see/hear a few common nutrition mistakes. Are YOU making any of these?
3 Common Gym Nutrition Mistakes
Mistake #1:
Not drinking enough water before, during, and after exercise.
Hey, I see you not bringing a water bottle to the gym! 👀💦
Most likely you are walking into the gym already dehydrated which can 1) make you feel tired & slow, 2) cause muscle soreness & cramps, and 3) increase risk of injury. All bad news.
General Hydration Rule of Thumb is:
– Drink ~16 ounces of water 30 minutes before a workout.
– Drink ~8 ounces of water every 15 minutes during a workout.
– Drink ~16 ounces of water after a workout.
NOTE: The goal is to have pale yellow urine, not dark yellow (which is a sign of dehydration.)
PS: If you are feeling extra dehydrated, add an electrolyte drink like coconut water w/ a pinch of salt or an electrolyte tab to your water to help with more rapid hydration.
Mistake #2:
Exercising to LOOK a certain way.
Changing how your body looks seems like a reason to go to the gym, but it can backfire in a BIG way.
Instead of motivating yourself at the gym to look a certain way, enjoy being there for your health & feeling good.
This is because research suggests appearance goals are related to negative outcomes like body dissatisfaction, low self-esteem, harmful self-talk, unhealthy eating, binge eating, and decreased mental well-being.
Mistake #3:
Eating to be small instead of strong.
Diet culture & restriction mentality are everywhere, especially the gym.
The default in our diet culture is to think “getting healthy” = cut out foods and be very all-or-nothing with what you eat. Instead of focusing on weight loss and eating less, focus on fueling yourself more like an ATHLETE to be energetic and strong.
A nourishing, fitness plate looks something like this:
– PROTEIN foods to build muscles.
– QUALITY CARBS to fuel muscles.
– COLORFUL PRODUCE + FAT to protect cells.
And if you want to learn more about the 5 Pillars of POSITIVE NUTRITION, read more >>HERE<<.
