Every athlete wants to make progress towards a better physique, but not all are mindful of what goes into their bodies. The workout nutrition you take to fuel your body determines how fast and hard you will hit your training goals. Junk foods are always tempting, and there are plenty of them. Similarly, healthy and waist-friendly options are also available for athletes who are determined to live healthier. The line between junk and healthy options might be impacted by the circumstances forcing you to moderate. The rule of thumb is to limit the intake of foods that produce insulin and store fat in your body. Relatively steady insulin levels with minimal peaks and drops ensure the maximum gain in your training. The following foods are a no-no for any health-conscious trainer. White Bread This is high on the glycemic index which means it has a greater impact on glucose levels in your blood. Taking a lot of white bread can spike and drop the insulin levels, thereby causing irregular energy. The solution is not reaching out for the nearest brown bread but checking the list of your workout nutrition ingredients to confirm if it is made from wholegrain flour. Dried Fruit Fresh fruits contain essential minerals and vitamins packed together with soluble and insoluble fiber. Dehydrated or dried fruits are often treated with sulfur and sugar to extend its shelf life. Dried fruit has less water compared to fresh fruit, and can lead to overeating. In addition to the above, the physical structure of dried fruit is different from that of fresh fruit. This changes on how your body digests the fruit thereby resulting in a higher glycemic index. Pizza When you dissect the ingredients used to make pizza, it doesn’t look unhealthy. Think of the cheese, tomatoes, yeast, and flour! However, when you combine the ingredients and add a little salt and saturated oil, the narrative changes. One slice of pizza contains about 250 calories. When you add toppings such as meat, you are pushing-up this number to as high as 390 calories per slice. Pre-Made Salads When you apply the dressing and add-ons of store-bought salads on the greens, you can quickly turn a healthy meal into a fat-laden diet. The first step is to check the number of calories in the salad and the calories loaded in the dressings that come with it. The numbers can surprise you! Diet Soda The labels on certain foods including diet soda are stuck with an intention to let consumers think that they are eating healthy and diet soda is a good example of this. While the concentration is high with the sugar content, manufacturers often use artificial softeners to boost the taste. The artificial sweeteners activate the insulin-producing glands thereby injecting more than necessary insulin into your blood system. This is not good for your training goals. Other foods to uncheck from the list include fried foods, ice-cream and processed cold cut foods. These and other workout nutrition delicacies can potentially drag your journey to physical fitness.  
KUNAL JHAVERI | 20 Jul 18