4 Tips to Prepare You for Challenge 27
You’ve made both healthy habits and quality nutrition a priority during the Maintenance Phase. Now, with Challenge 27 around the corner, it’s time to recommit to your training routine and next goal. With adequate rest and recovery, you’ll be ready to take on these next few weeks at full speed. However, prepping correctly before kicking off the first day will ensure you’ll be able to train at your max potential while pushing your endurance and strength through each training day. It’s never easy to hop back into training full swing. Therefore, we’ve highlighted 5 key ways in which you can boost your motivation, focus, and health to best prepare for this upcoming Challenge.
Create a healthy morning routine
Getting into the habit of a healthy morning routine not only allows us to stay organized and focused, but sets the tone for the entire day. The first hour of your day from the time you wake up should be used to create productivity and positivity. Studies have shown that creating a positive outlook in the morning while incorporating quality nutrition can promote better focus, mood, energy, and productivity. A morning routine helps minimize stress to improve our overall mental health and quality of sleep, which are essential for recovery throughout the Challenge. We recommend setting your alarm a little earlier so that you have time to prepare a healthy breakfast and focus on what you want to accomplish each day, from your F45 workout to your daily work schedule. Start by picking one to two things at a time that you want to accomplish, whether it’s meditating, writing out daily tasks, preparing a healthy breakfast, or stretching. Eventually, you’ll start to create a personalized and efficient routine that will help you get the most out of every hour of your day.
Focus on gut health
Gut health is key for gearing up metabolism to burn calories efficiently for fat loss. Our gut microbiome is filled with many microbiota (gut bacteria) that allow for adequate digestion and promote an efficient immune system. Certain gut bacteria are also involved in the regulation of hormones, including ghrelin, which is responsible for controlling appetite. There are a number of studies that have highlighted how those who regularly include dietary fiber in their diet have a lower weight due to the role of gut bacteria in digesting fiber. Gut bacteria also has an influence on how dietary fats are metabolized and absorbed in the intestines, which largely impacts how fat is stored in the body. Incorporating organic yogurt and various fermented foods as well as quality probiotic and fiber-rich foods will promote an abundance of beneficial bacteria in the gut.
Incorporate healthy complex carbs
Focusing on quality nutrition the week leading into Challenge is essential to allow your body to adequately recover while ensuring you can sustain a high training intensity. A few days before the Challenge begins, we recommend getting into a habit of meal prepping quality foods consisting of lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Carbohydrates are the body’s primary fuel source; therefore, it’s a good idea to incorporate whole grains, including ezekiel bread, brown rice, legumes, yams, and veggies a few days before Day 1.
Focus on joint health
It’s absolutely essential to take time to focus on mobility and stretching, not only before Challenge but during as well. We recommend getting into a habit of setting aside at least 10 to 15 minutes each day to focus on improving mobility and stretching. When we exercise, we induce wear and tear on muscles. This is a natural part of the training process, but can also lead to muscle soreness. Without stretching and mobility, tight muscles can limit our range of motion while we train, leading to muscle imbalances and increased risk of injury. By getting into a habit of incorporating these exercises in the days leading up to the Challenge, it will be easier to make them a habit once you get started. Additionally, if you typically struggle with joint-related pain, we recommend incorporating a quality bone broth into your diet. Bone broth is rich in essential amino acids, which reduces inflammation and benefits joint health over time.
References
Martinez, K. B., Pierre, J. F., & Chang, E. B. (2016). The Gut Microbiota: The Gateway to Improved Metabolism. Gastroenterology clinics of North America, 45(4), 601–614.
Slavin, J. L. (2005). Dietary fiber and body weight. Nutrition, 21(3), 411-418.