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SUPPLEMENTS
The Scoop on
SUPPLEMENTS
Some nutritional supplements can be helpful
before and after your workout, but they are not
a substitute for a healthy diet.
IF YOU ARE an avid exerciser, you may filling half of your plate with fruits and in quick bursts
always be on the lookout for drinks and foods vegetables, one quarter of your plate with »» Protein—helps muscles repair
to help you prepare for or recover from your slow carbohydrates, such as sweet potatoes, post-workout
daily dose of fitness. With all of the options whole grain pasta or wild rice, and one Supplements can be costly and cause
available on the shelves of grocery and health quarter of your plate with lean forms of gastrointestinal problems. Caffeine taken in
food stores, choosing supplements that will protein, such as chicken or fish. large doses may also be fatal. It’s important
truly benefit your body can be tricky. OPTIONS TO CONSIDER to talk with your primary care provider
“Supplements will only enhance your before adding any supplements to your diet.
performance during a workout if they are Lopez notes that a handful of supplements are
added to a good dietary foundation,” says good options to add to your balanced diet if WELLNESS CENTER, NAVICENT
Catalina Torres Lopez, MSH, lead exercise you work out regularly. HEALTH IS OFFERING DAILY
physiologist at Wellness Center, Navicent »» Branched chain amino acids (BCAAs)— EXERCISE PLANS ON OUR FACEBOOK
Health. “Do not think of these supplements as may enhance muscle mass and strength PAGE. VISIT FACEBOOK.COM/
a substitute for proper nutrition.” »» Caffeine—may reduce perception of pain THEWELLNESSCENTERMACON AND
Specifically, Lopez recommends following and enhance performance EXERCISE WITH US, EVEN WHEN YOU
the “plate method” of eating, which includes »» Creatine—can supply muscles with energy CAN’T BE HERE IN PERSON!
SPRING INTO WORKING OUT
If you hung up your exercise shoes during the cold weather months and COVID-19 cabin fever is getting to you, summer is the perfect
time to get back into your fitness routine. In addition to helping you lose your “quarantine 15,” 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic
exercise each week can help lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol, decrease inflammation and regulate your blood pressure. It may also
boost your mood and reduce your risk of diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Type 2 diabetes.
“Exercise is medicine, so try to move every day,” says Catalina Torres Lopez, MSH, lead exercise physiologist at Wellness Center, Navicent
Health. “When paired with sleeping seven to nine hours each night, managing stress and eating a nutrient-rich diet, physical activity can help
you live your healthiest life.”
Take care to ease back into your fitness routine. Start with shorter and gentler workouts you can do at or close to home, such as yoga and
walking, gradually increasing the length and intensity of your daily exercise routine.
SUMMER 2020 | navicenthealth.org 11
