HOW TO RECHARGE AFTER RUNNING

As the weather is getting warmer and the sun is shining, it is extra important to stay hydrated when exercising outdoors. Want to recharge with something other than water or a sports drink? There are other great options of healthy drinks that replenish your body after a strenuous workout.

Coconut Water

When: Pre- or post-run or on runs of about 60 minutes

Why: Coconut water, the clear liquid found inside the fruit, contains none of the fat found in coconut milk and has a tangy, light almond flavor. Eleven ounces contain 14 grams of sugar and 670 milligrams of potassium—way more than sports drinks. “Potassium works closely with sodium to maintain water balance and helps trigger muscles to contract and relax optimally,” says Suzanne Girard Eberle, R.D., author of Endurance Sports Nutrition. Coconut water has enough carbohydrates for an hour-long run but not enough sodium for longer efforts.

Sipping Points: Coconut water, which is fat-free, comes plain or flavored with mango, orange peel, or passion fruit.


Iced Green Tea:

When: Pre- or post-run and on easy runs less than an hour

Why: Green tea is a stellar source of catechins, antioxidants that fight heart disease and cancer. According to research, catechins can reduce muscle damage caused by exercise, and also speed recovery. A recent study found that people who had the equivalent of five cups of green tea daily for three months and exercised lost more belly fat than those who only exercised. Iced green tea is a tasty alternative to water on easy, short runs, says Leslie Bonci, R.D., director of sports nutrition at the Pittsburgh Medical Center. Plus, tea contains caffeine, which boosts speed and endurance. If you drink iced green tea often, go with unsweetened, says Kimball, to avoid taking in excess calories.

Sipping Points: Steep tea bags for at least three minutes to release more catechins. If you buy bottled, choose brands with fewer than 15 grams of sugar per eight ounces.

Chocolate Milk

When: Post-run

Why: The drink you loved as a kid has the ideal amount of carbohydrates and protein that tired muscles need for recovery, says Joel Stager, Ph.D., director of the department of kinesiology at Indiana University. According to a study Stager led, drinking chocolate milk postexercise speeds up recovery and increases the time it takes to reach exhaustion during a subsequent exercise session better than sports drinks. And a 2007 British study found that regular milk is better than water or a sports drink at restoring fluid levels following a bout of exercise in the heat. Plus, milk contains bone-strengthening vitamin D and calcium.

Sipping Points: Single-serving containers are handy for tossing into a cooler for a postrun treat and for portion control.

Cherry Juice

When: After a hard run

Why: If George Washington was more of an athlete, he never would have felled his dad’s cherry tree. A study done in 2008 by British researchers found that runners who drank 16 ounces of tart cherry juice in the days before, the day of, and two days after a marathon decreased inflammation, oxidative stress, and muscle damage. “Cherry juice is very useful for postexercise recovery,” says Declan Connolly, Ph.D., professor of physical education and exercise science at the University of Vermont. Cherries are higher in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties than many other types of fruit. Try drinking a cup of tart cherry juice after exercise—particularly during heavy training. But don’t guzzle it like it’s tap water: One cup has about 30 grams of natural sugar and 130 calories.

Sipping Points: If cherry juice is too tart for you, try a sweeter blend with cherries and other 100 percent fruit juices.

Vegetable Juice

When: Post-run

Why: Chock-full of a variety of nutrients in a concentrated package, 100 percent vegetable juice is a tasty way to get a serving or two of veggies. Those made mostly with tomatoes have lots of lycopene, an antioxidant that a British Journal of Nutrition study found protects muscles from oxidative stress caused by exercise. Many brands have three to five times the amount of sodium and 13 to 17 times the amount of potassium in sports drinks, “which makes vegetable juice an ideal part of a postrun snack or meal that includes carbs and protein,” says Kimball.

Sipping Points: Sodium levels can range from 140 to 620 milligrams in regular (non—low sodium) brands. Choose higher levels if you crave salt post-run.

HOW TO REDUCE STRESS

Sleep and Exercise

Regular exercise, & seven to eight hours per night of sleep, will help to keep you healthy and energized. It's been proven in many studies that people in good health deal with challenges at work far better than those in poor health. Take a pro-active approach to improve your health & well being and you will notice the different immediately.

How many hours per week to do work?

How many days per week do you work?

One of the biggest causes of stress is sheer work volume. Working late or weekends occasionally won't hurt but week in week out it will catch up with you. Ensure you are taking regular breaks throughout the day and aim to have your evenings and weekends work free.

Healthy Nutrition

You are what you eat and drink what you put into your body affects how you feel about yourself as well as playing a key role in your energy levels. Aim for a diet full of fruit, vegetables, lean protein & essential fats. Also aim to drink 1.5 to 2 litres of water per day and keep your alcohol intake to a minimum.

Stop Smoking

If you smoke you may feel like smoking is helping to relieve your stress, but the FACT is you are actually putting more stress on your body, and as with stress, smoking raises your blood pressure and generally makes you feel on edge.

Don't sweat the small stuff;

Don't sweat over the things you can't control

These two sayings are sometimes hard to live and breathe, however there really is truth in them; some things really just aren't worth worrying about, and if you have no control over something don't give it any of your attention, remember you can't control it.

Laugh more and spend time with the optimists

Humor is a great stress buster; it lowers blood pressure and relaxes the muscles. Also keeping an optimistic view on life makes things look better straight away, spend more of your time with the optimists.

Computer Stress

The body simply was not designed to sit behind a computer for hours each day, to ensure you are as healthy as possible make sure you've had a Workstation Assessment so you are correctly set up at your Workstation. In addition a neck, back and shoulder massage is a great way to relieve the tension that builds up from excessive computer use.

Plan & Priorities of your objectives for the month

This simple process will ensure you are clear and focused for the month ahead and will help avoid you doing extra non essential things outside of your objectives.

At the end of each day plan and priorities your actions for the next day

This will help you switch off when you leave work, thereby giving you that vital relaxation time in the evening. In addition your subconscious often works out your problems while sleeping by being clear on the plan for the day ahead.