Flex like a Bitch

As the next Challenge approaches, there are lots of ways to help protect your body from possible injury.

If you want to reach the finish line of the next challenge feeling fit and healthy, you need to train smart and eat right.

Suddenly embarking on a high intensity-training programme can leave your body in a lot of shock! It will be under pressure it has never felt before. As well as stretching and correct form, which our lovely trainers will drill into you, diet comes into play…in a big way.

This is why calorie counting does my head in. We are not just recommending clean, balanced meals because of low calorie content – Sod off Weight Watchers.

Vegetables, lean protein, fruit, whole grains and pulses contain various vitamins and minerals essential for achieving optimum health.
You will be training hard therefore you must replenish your body with the correct nutrients so it can grow strong, healthy and super sexy ;0)

Cartilage is a connective tissue that is found in many parts of the body, most importantly between bones. It absorbs force and distributes it equally, protecting joints under load and during movement. Without this, the very concept of high-knee-running would be a mere fantasy.

When cartilage is damaged or worn away, the affected joint becomes painful, stiff, and limited in its range of motion – kiss the splits goodbye.
Vitamin C plays a vital roll in the formation of collagen, which forms the basis of connective tissue. You can find this saucy Vitamin in the following CF diet friendly foods;

Grapefruit, lemons, oranges, kiwis, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blackcurrants, pineapple, papaya, peppers, tomatoes, cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts.

Omega 3 rich foods have an anti-inflammatory effect. Inflammation can cause major pain – ever had sore knees after squatting?? You can find this gem in walnuts, pumpkin seeds, oily fish like salmon and herring.

Vitamin E is your knight in shining armour when it comes to combating exercise-induced stress on your body’s cells. Shield yourself by eating almonds, sunflower seeds, spinach, whole grain breads and cereals.

Zinc is needed for the body's defensive (immune) system to properly work. A lack of zinc can slow collagen formation in connective tissue. Zinc yourself up (yes I just said that) with oysters, pumpkin seeds, crabmeat, sunflower seeds, whole meal flour and bread, turkey.

Copper is also needed for the maintenance of connective tissue. It works alongside zinc to stimulate the immune system to fight infections, to repair injured tissues, and to promote healing. You can find this in oysters, lobster (here’s your excuse for fine dining ladies! – unfortunately it is not found in Champagne), sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, crab, chickpeas, lentils, whole meal bread and whole grain cereals.
BUT there are foods that diminish these effects – food high in saturated fat like red meat and dairy. So steer clear of these or you risk more than a severe bollocking in your Food Diary Feedback…so there!

The important thing is to create the right balance, as getting too much of one nutrient and not enough of another can have a counter productive effect.
There are supplements you can take to help avoid injury to joints, and combat long term degenerative diseases that can put an end to your training days – Say sayonara to osteoarthritis.

WARNING: don’t get carried away and buy into the marketing too much – sports supplements are a lucrative and misleading industry.

We recommend:
Glucosamine – Highly productive in the formation and repair of cartilage. This supplement can relieve pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis. It helps to increase mobility and reduces the joint space narrowing (bone-on-bone…ouch!).
And
Chondroitin Sulphate - One of the building blocks of cartilage. This promotes the water retention of cartilage, keeping it spongey, as well as elasticity, thus helping to reduce joint pain and increase mobility (hello again drunken cartwheels at Sandance).
You can buy these at any reputable pharmacy (Life Pharmacy / Boots).
A clean balanced diet = Healthy bones and joints = happy squatting at CF :)

Bring on the March Challenge x