Eat to win!

by Debbi Lawrence

A clean burning engine is a high performance machine. It is obtained with good eating habits, and healthy digestion and elimination. Good eating habits include making healthy food choices and eating every few hours.

AIM’s Herbal Fiberblend^®, AIM Para 90^®, AIM Herbal Release^® and AIM PrepZymes^® are your partners in the quest to obtain a clean burning engine.

Pre-exercise meals contribute to an already efficient digestive system. They provide sustained energy for: endurance (low intensity, long duration/90+ minutes); concentrated energy (dense foods: dried fruit); for intense exercise (sprinting/weight training); or a few energy calories for low intensity, short duration exercise (easy recovery days).

Morning Exercisers

Eat a small balanced meal within a half hour of opening your eyes in the morning. This will help to get your metabolism humming. I begin with two tablespoons of AIM BarleyLife^® and proceed to a balanced meal 30 minutes later. Exercise after AIM BarleyLife^® or after the meal, depending on the amount of time you have.

Noon Exercisers

Delaying your first meal of the morning causes “starvation mode,” which characterized by: slowed metabolism, low energy, poor concentration and a huge appetite at noon, right when you want to exercise. Try eating some fruit 30 minutes after taking AIM BarleyLife^® followed by a whey protein drink 30 minutes later, and a balanced 250-calorie snack every 2 hours up to an hour before the pre-lunch exercise.

Evening Exercisers

Follow the same routine as the lunch group, separating meals 2½ hours apart and increasing the calories to 300 per meal.

Endurance Event Suggestions:

Night Before Event

Take AIM PrepZymes^® with an easy-to-digest carbohydrate meal of between 500 to 600 calories, prior to 7 p.m.

Morning of Event

Eat a low-fat, high-carbohydrate, low-fiber meal 2 to 4 hours prior to the event. The meal, about 500 calories, is balanced, fills you up and does not cause discomfort during the event. Meal idea: sprouted toast + almond butter + jam.

During the Event

Before the start (45 minutes), take ½ tablespoon of AIM BarleyLife^® in 8 oz. (250 ml) of water for antioxidant power during the event. Immediately prior to the start, consume 30 to 60 grams of a carbohydrate gel or drink, with water. Twenty minutes into the race, drink 8 oz. of AIM BarleyLife^® made into a “Lactic Acid Buffering Drink”: 1½ tablespoons AIM BarleyLife^® per 32 oz. (1 liter) of water. Continue drinking AIM BarleyLife^® every 15 minutes, for the next hour. At that time, ingest another 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrate. Repeat to the finish line.

After Event

In the two hours following exercise, consume ½ gram of carbohydrate per pound of body weight. Finish line suggestion: 2 tablespoons of AIM Just Carrots^® + 1 teaspoon of AIM RediBeets^® + 1 tablespoon of AIM BarleyLife^®. Thirty minutes later, eat a handful of organic raisins. One hour after the event, eat a balanced meal.

Your exercise nutrition requirements depend on your fitness level and the given activity, the intensity and duration of your exercise routine, digestion efficiency, personal food tolerance and taste preferences. Experiment with the exact timing and be familiar with the foods you eat around exercise. Enjoy fitness!

Copyright © AIM International, Inc. Used with permission.