Food That Powers You

One great contradiction you see all too often is the health and fitness conscious consumer eating chemical laden sports nutrition products. Think about it – you watch what you eat all day, avoiding white bread, hollow carbs and sugar. You drink water and steer clear of beverages you shouldn’t be drinking. You summon the energy to hit the gym after work and have a great workout. And then what do you do? If you’re like many, you don’t properly replenish your body.

Drink a protein shake or eat a protein bar to replenish. If you cook a meal, good for you. But for many of us it’s difficult to get in the kitchen, so a quick on-the-go snack is the only option. Eco18 breaks down the best ways to make sure you stay fully nourished when living an active lifestyle.

Make your own

There’s no mistaking the convenience of having a healthy snack on-the-go. The trouble is, most of the store bought options are full of fillers, fat, sugar and salt. This great recipe tells you how to make your own protein bars and you can customize them to your taste and nutritional needs.

Quick Snacks

Some texture sensitive types can’t appreciate the sustenance of sometimes cardboard-textured protein bars. Here are some of our favorite alternative gym bag snacks for after you hit the weights:

• Hard boiled eggs
• Almonds
• Tuna Salad on celery stalks
• Peanut Butter
• Hummus
• Bananas
• Cheese
• Chocolate Milk

Bars

Luckily, today’s supplesnack (that’s supplement + snack) market offers plenty of options. The numerous options also offer a wide range in terms of quality, so be sure to match the bar with the type of sustenance your body requires. Do your research or pick up one of our favorites – Pulsin’s Protein Sport Bars (only available at Whole Foods in the US) and the ever reliable and always tasty CLIF BUILDERS Bars.

Shake It Up

Protein and meal replacement shakes are another convenient way to replenish your body after a workout. Though the wide variety of protein powders and ready-to-drink shakes creates the same issue – some are simply not meant for your lifestyle or nutritional needs. Here’s a great guide on how to choose a protein powder.

And, as always, we have a few insider tips to help you with your sports nutrition!

• Make sure to drink plenty of water
• Stop eating when you’re full – you don’t have to clean your plate
• Know your portion sizes
• Pre-workout nutrition is just as important! Try CLIF SHOT BLOKS and SHOT GELS to really get a head start
• The sooner you eat after working out, the better
• Steer clear of alcohol, as it slows your body’s ability to recover (sorry!)