The lifestyle of an athlete is instrumental in determining both, the success that the athlete enjoys as well as the longevity of his or her career. If you look at the recent success that Indian athletes enjoyed at the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic games, you’ll find there to be one common factor- their hard work. From Mirabai Chanu’s weightlifting heroics, Lovlina Borgohain’s gritty boxing skills, and the consistent excellence of PV Sindhu to India’s new Golden boy Neeraj Chopra all of these athletes lead extremely disciplined lives. They deprive themselves of the most fundamental joys we enjoy like eating a slice of pizza, which also happens to be the first thing Mirabai Chanu calls for to celebrate her Olympic win. “She had been withholding her desire to eat pizza to maintain her weight in the 49kg weight class for the Olympics” says Kiren Rijiju, Indian Lawyer and Politician.
In order for an athlete to have continued success over an extended career, fewer injuries, and better overall physical and mental health, they are required to make some serious choices in their lives. The quality and duration of sleep they get, their nutrition plans, their daily training regimes, their stress levels, motivation, and how they recover are all key aspects of their lifestyle and choices and is directly responsible for their success or lack thereof.
What we’re focusing on today is the nutritional requirements of an athlete or fitness enthusiast to stay fit. It’s no secret that athletic performance pushes the body to the edge. If a person continues to exert tremendous amounts of energy and does not consume enough or worse consumes low quality food, there may be some very serious consequences to deal with.
Including teas along with a well-balanced diet is known to boost athletic performance. How, you ask? Here are three reasons why fitness enthusiasts need to incorporate certain teas in their nutrition plans-
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Energy- About an hour prior to working out, sipping on some black tea boosts stamina and provides a natural lift to the body that can help you work out longer and push yourself a little harder at the gym. Although tea, like coffee, contains caffeine, the content differs quite a bit depending upon the tea you choose. The lift from tea comes from three additional molecules- theophylline, theobromine and L-Theanine. These molecules ease breathing, stimulate blood flow, and neutralize the jittery effects of caffeine.
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Recovery- Research indicates that prolonged, high-intensity workouts generates Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in the body. This in turn can cause oxidative stress and damage fats, proteins, and nucleic acids and finally muscle cell. Research indicates that the human body’s natural oxidant defense system is not strong enough to prevent this kind of stress. What’s the solution then? Correct, foods rich in antioxidants. We recommend teas high in antioxidants and low in caffeine.
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Endurance- Another benefit that tea offers is that it increases proficiency during aerobic activity. This means it helps increase calorie burn and release of energy from fat stores thereby speeding up the liver’s fat burning capacity. Sipping some tea while training works well when you’re looking to improve endurance. It also helps you to stay hydrated when exercising.
If you too are an athlete or fitness enthusiast or just someone who wants to begin to make a healthy change to your lifestyle, here are three teas we recommend-
- Tulsi Green Tea- One of our healthiest concoctions- “Devi” is a combination of Tulsi Green Tea, Ashwagandha, Gymnema and Moringa. This drink is packed with antioxidants to help combat fatigue and improve concentration.
- English Breakfast Tea- Although it is slightly higher in caffeine content, this classic blend combining the best of Assam, Nilgiri and Dooars black teas can provide a much needed lift on slow days.
- Nathula- Last on the list, a holistic herbal mix of Himalayan rhododendron flowers, tulsi & calendula flowers to keep you hydrated.