Food is important to keep your body fueled, and eating shortly after a workout is important to building muscle.

But what about eating before a workout? While it’s not wise to work out on an empty stomach, it’s even worse if you eat fried food before it!

Fried foods – any kind – is the worst food to eat before a workout as it’ll leave you feeling heavy and weighed down before you’ve begun any exercise. And it’s worse if you don’t exercise – studies show eating too much fried food increases the risk of cardiovascular issues, like heart disease.

The best thing to eat pre-workout is a complex carbohydrate and lean protein a few hours before any form of exercise – something like chicken, brown rice, and veggies – or a sandwich with lean meats and cheese and fruit.

If you had a big lunch, and want something smaller, granola bars, string cheese, or whole-grain bread with peanut butter are all great options.

Keep your body fueled properly, and you’ll have the energy for a great workout!

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Do you always feel like you’re forgetting things? Names, where you parked, why you walked in the kitchen in the first place! Well, there are some things you may be doing that is ruining your memory.

First, make sure you get enough sleep. A lack of sleep can reduce your ability to learn new things.

Multitasking can ruin our memories – if our attention is scattered, we’re more likely to forget.

A lack of exercise means a lack of blood flow to the brain, and an increase in high blood pressure and cholesterol, which also have been linked to memory loss.

Too much alcohol also can damage brain cells, and smoking cuts the oxygen to your brain, which can lead to less functions in the brain.

And finally, make sure you’re eating the right foods – those that boost your brain, like leafy vegetables, fatty fish, berries, tea, coffee, and walnuts.

Make these changes, and you’ll remember where you left your car keys!

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You want to exercise – but doing it daily can be such a chore. But maybe you can sit out during the week and just be a weekend warrior – a new study shows exercising only on the weekends can do as much for your health as if you did it every day!

To be considered an active adult, those between the ages of 18 and 64 should strive for 2 and half hours of moderate exercise per week – or 75 minutes of intense exercise.

You can split that up – a brisk 30 minute treadmill walk every weekday – or an intense hour and fifteen-minute run on one day.

If you’re looking to lose weight or build muscle, you’ll need to do more. But if you’re looking to maintain an active lifestyle, this is the one time when it’s okay to cram at the last minute.

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You know exercise if good for you, but what do you do when you don’t have the energy for it? Here are some tips that professional trainers do when they don’t feel like working out:

First, just do a few minutes – a workout doesn’t need to be long to be of benefit – 20 minutes of walking or jogging can go a long way.

Listen to music first – in can get you in the right space to help motivate you.

Also, find a fun way to move – if you don’t like running, try something else – jumping rope, rowing, a spin class – if you like doing something, you’ll be more motivated to do it.

And sometimes, it’s okay if you just don’t want to work out. An extra rest day occasionally is fine – the last thing you want is to push yourself to the point where you hate to exercise.

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You know that the best thing you can drink is water. But, if you’re bored of water, there are a few other beverages that are nearly as healthy.

Topping the list is decaffeinated coffee or tea.  Caffeine free is better as it can leave you dehydrated.

Coconut water is loaded with electrolytes like potassium and magnesium.

Regular milk is good for you – it’s mostly water, and you get calcium too.

And if you want to stick with water, you can flavor it up – fill up a pitcher and throw in a few cucumber slices. Or add some flavor packets – just make sure you use ones with little sugar, so you don’t add unwanted calories.

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