Did you know? Bell’s Fast Facts Fridays
Exercise is key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, as is a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables and more. This week’s Fast Facts Friday is for all the “foodies” out there. What we put into our bodies is just as important as what we do to build muscle, stay toned and increase endurance. We spend hours in the gym, compete in marathons and triathlons, join various sports leagues, and – among partaking in other physical activities – ride bikes! But what good is all the exercise if we don’t eat right? To make you more aware of your diet and help you get in tip-top shape, here are some finger-lickin’-good food facts that pertain to exercise, diet, and bicycling:
1) Football is a demanding sport, and NFL players consume between 5,000-10,000 calories each day during training camp – they’re also burning 2,000-3,000 calories on the field in double-session practices. In the training camp cafeteria each food eaten has a purpose, whether it’s for hydrating, muscle repair, preventing muscle cramping, or to replace nutrients lost through sweat. Oh yeah – empty calories are banned. For example, players eat eggs for muscle-building, immunity and vision, waffles for cardio fuel, chicken breasts for energy and memory, and ice cream as a cool down treat! (Yahoo Health)
2) The foods eaten before exercise and the timing of your meals or snacks really does matter. Your body prefers to use carbohydrates as fuel, so your pre-workout meal should include plenty of carbohydrates from bread, pasta, fruits and vegetables. You don’t need to avoid protein and fat, however don’t overdo either of these nutrients if you will be exercising in an hour or two. (About.com)
3) Your metabolism is determined by gender, age, amount of muscle you have compared to body fat and the amount of exercise you do on a regular basis. So grab your helmet and get pedaling. (Dietician.com)
4) There are food delivery cyclists in many cities and towns offering great local products delivered by bicycle. Portland Pedal Power provides promotional services (bike advertising) and delivers an assortment of foods and other products by bicycle throughout Portland. (PortlandPedalPower.com)
5) Your body can store roughly an hour-and-a-half to two-hours worth of glycogen (muscle fuel). So, if you’re bike riding longer than that, you need to carry food (or stop to purchase it) and consume enough calories to keep from developing a glycogen deficit. (BicycleHabitat.com)
6) In case you do get hungry while riding your bike, Bell makes the Road Stash Handlebar Bag that makes for a good storage spot for an energy bar or trail mix. (SportsAuthority.com)
Do you have any exercise-conscious recipes for staying healthy? Or maybe you know of a cyclist in your area that people can call for food delivery? If so we’d love to hear about them!
