Fitness

Sport is an important weekly activity for many people. Whether you go for the occasional run, work hard to build your muscles at the gym every evening, or work as a professional athlete, it can be hard to figure out what your body needs for optimal recovery and peak performance. Do people who exercise need extra protein? What about vitamins and caffeine supplements? Online, everyone has a different opinion, so it can be hard to know how to make the right choice for your body. We'll cover the basics and debunk a few well-known myths about nutrition, supplements, and sport.

In this article, you'll find everything you want to know about a healthy lifestyle, increased nutritional needs when exercising, and tips to support your body as well as possible during sport. We'll also look into fitness supplements: are they worth it? Which supplement should you choose? And how do you use a supplement for sport? We'll tell you everything about ingredients, types of supplements, and whether they actually work or not.

Please note that this blog is not intended as medical advice. Get in touch with a professional if you're struggling with healthy habits, aren't sure which nutrition is best for your body, or if exercise suddenly becomes much harder for you. 

What you'll read:

1. Healthy living – how do you do it?
2. How to start healthy habits
3. Do athletes need more nutrients?
4. Do fitness supplements really work?
5. Order supplements from Slimminglabs
6. Frequently asked questions about fitness

Healthy living – how do you do it?

Healthy living is important for everyone. If you exercise a lot, you'll notice that unhealthy habits can quickly lead to reduced performance. Top athletes are therefore urged to get enough sleep, eat well, do proper warm-ups, and so on. But even if you're a keen recreational sportsperson, a healthy lifestyle is very important. 

Of course, healthy living looks different for everyone. Think about time for yourself, or conversely, lots of social contact. And whether you benefit from getting up early or staying up later and having a lie-in. Your mental health also matters in daily life. To keep things simple, this article only covers two key pillars of healthy living:

• Healthy, varied nutrition
• Sufficient physical activity

For this, we use the website of the Dutch Nutrition Center as our basis. This is the leading advisory organisation for safe, healthy, and sustainable eating in the Netherlands.

What does healthy eating look like?

There are countless opinions about healthy eating. Everyone thinks they've got it right, but no one follows the same approach. Some people swear by intermittent fasting, while others say you're better off eating little bits all day to keep your metabolism going. Some avoid carbohydrates; others meticulously track every macro- and micronutrient in an app. And then of course there are fitness influencers sharing their daily meals and suddenly throwing in tips for losing weight. But what does healthy eating actually mean according to science?

The Dutch Nutrition Centre uses the Nutrition Wheel as the basis for their healthy eating advice. This tool contains 5 sections of healthy foods:

• Vegetables and fruit
• Bread, grain products, and potatoes
• Beans, nuts, fish, eggs, meat (substitutes) and dairy (substitutes)
• Oils and fats
• Water, tea, and coffee

You fill these sections each day according to your own taste. The recommended quantities from each section also vary per person. It's important to vary enough within each section. For example, if you eat apples and broccoli every single day, you're ticking the fruit and vegetable boxes, but your nutrient intake will be very one-sided.

In addition to foods from the Nutrition Wheel, you can make a few "less healthy" choices each day without a significant effect on your health or weight. This is referred to as room outside the Wheel. every day, you can have 3 to 5 small choiches outside of the Nutrition Wheel. Like ketchup on your sandwich or honey in your tea. And every week, you can have around 3 bigger choices, like pizza or a croissant.  

How much exercise is enough?

If you're active, you're probably getting enough exercise. Still, we'll briefly cover amount of activity needed according to Dutch guidelines:

• Exercise at least 150 minutes per week at moderate to vigorous intensity (cardio)
• Do bone- and muscle-strengthening activities at least twice a week (strength training)
• More movement is always better
• Avoid sitting still for extended periods of time

Perhaps your sport requires a lot of strength, but you rarely walk or cycle. Or the other way around. It's important to meet both guidelines for optimal health of your heart, lungs, and muscles. You can keep it simple. Walking or cycling a few times a week is enough for moderate-intensity activity. Muscle-strengthening activities can be simple exercises without any equipment. And bone-strengthening activities, such as skipping, can easily be done from home.

How to start healthy habits

For many people, healthy living is little more than an ideal – something they could never keep up. Fortunately, you don't have to switch to a "perfect" routine overnight. It's about taking small, achievable steps. That way, it's easier to stick with and you're more likely to succeed in gradually adding new good habits to your daily routine. But where do you start? Here are a few suggestions.

Tips for starting to eat more healthily:

1. Swap your smoothie or fruit juice for "real" fruit. It contains far less sugar (as juice is made from a large amount of fruit) and much more fibre
2. Eat plant-based meals occasionally. It's better for the environment and for your body. You can also opt for smaller portions of meat, or choose fish and chicken instead of red meat
3. Go wholegrain. Choose wholegrain bread, rice, rolls, wraps, pasta… More sustainable and richer in fibre and B vitamins than the white varieties!
4. Choose low-fat or semi-skimmed yoghurt, milk, quark, and other dairy products instead of full-fat
5. Use liquid cooking fats and oils instead of hard fats or butter. These contain more"good fats"

Tips for starting (or doing more) sport or exercise:

1. Make sure you don't sit still for too long. Do you work in an office? Take a short walk now and then, grab a drink, or stand up and stretch
2. Not in the mood to exercise? Choose a sport you actually enjoy. Or try a new active hobby, like dancing, gardening or hiking
3. Take small steps towards a more active everyday routine. Take the stairs more often or get off the bus a stop early
4. Find a sports buddy – your neighbour, mum, brother, friend… Exercising together keeps you motivated and makes it more enjoyable!
5. Plan in advance which days you're going to exercise. Make sure there's enough variety and rest days for muscle recovery

Do athletes need more nutrients?

You often hear that athletes need more of certain nutrients. But is that really true? And are there foods you should avoid? We'll briefly cover the dietary needs of active people, again based on the Dutch nutrition guidelines

Protein for athletes

Strength and endurance athletes need more protein than the average person:

• Average person: 0.83 grams of protein per kg of body weight per day
• With heavy strength training: 1.2–2 grams of protein per kg of body weight per day
• With heavy endurance training: 1.4 grams per kg of body weight per day

Recreational athletes usually get enough protein through a healthy and varied diet. Men tend to eat more protein on average, so they're more likely to meet their protein needs through food alone than women. If you train very intensively, it's best to have a high-protein meal after exercise. Protein is important for the recovery and growth of your muscles . If a healthy meal isn't possible, you can opt for a shake or bar (warning: they can contain a lot of sugar). 

But does eating as much protein as possible actually help? Unfortunately not. Extra protein will not make your muscles grow faster. In fact, your body stores the excess as fat, which can lead to weight gain. 

Do athletes need more salt?

If you exercise intensively, you don't need extra salt. Most people already consume too much salt through their everyday diet. If you eat a normal meal after exercising – such as dinner or a cheese sandwich – your salt levels will already be replenished. If you exercise intensively and sweat extra due to, for example, a heatwave, a sports drink can be a convenient way to keep your salt, minerals, energy, and fluid levels topped up. The same applies during intense exertion, such as a marathon or a long cycling event.

It is important to drink enough, though. You lose fluid when you sweat, and you replenish it by drinking. Aim for 1.5 to 2 litres per day. Dehydration is a common and dangerous problem among athletes. Drink enough before, during, and after exercise, even if you don't feel thirsty. If you feel thirsty during exercise, you've actually already had too little to drink.

So what should you do?

Right, so there are plenty of things you shouldn't do. But what's the right approach? Here are some tips for eating around exercise: 

1. Build a good foundation with the Nutritional Wheel. Pay attention to sufficient carbohydrates, protein, and fats
2. Do not exercise on an empty stomach
3. Aim for 20 grams of protein per meal (including snacks)
4. Eat a meal with sufficient protein and carbohydrates 2 to 4 hours before a strength training session. Drink around 500 ml of fluid alongside it
5. Have something small just before exercising, for example a peanut butter sandwich, a cracker with cheese, or a bowl of yoghurt with fruit
6. Protein from milk appears to be optimal for muscle growth (whey protein, casein protein). Don't take more protein than you need
7. A protein shake or supplement can sometimes be a quick top-up when you can't eat a full meal after intensive exercise
8. Sports drinks, energy bars, and sports gels are useful if you exercise for more than 1 hour, but they are high in calories
9. During endurance exercise, take in carbohydrates while you're active, preferably from foods within the Nutritional Wheel
10. During prolonged exercise, keep drinking enough, even if you're not yet thirsty
11. Eat a main meal after exercise and drink plenty of fluids

Do fitness supplements really work?

Sports supplements – do they really work? It depends on what kind of athlete you are, your needs, your diet, and what type of supplement you want to take. If you are not sure, consult a professional. Consult your doctor before using supplements if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, using medication or are under medical supervision.

Order supplements from Slimminglabs

Doing well with your healthy lifestyle and looking for a supplement to give you extra support? At Slimminglabs, you'll find a wide range of fitness supplements. We offer various formulas, so you can choose the ingredients that suit you best. We also offer fast delivery and volume discounts on larger orders.

Did you know that we also sell home fitness equipment at Slimminglabs? Ideal for some variety in your training or if you want an easy way to get more active from home. We stock, among other things:

• Treadmills
• Vibration plates
• Ab trainers
• Pull-up bars

So take a look at our products!

Disclaimers

This blog provides information, but not medical advice. Please consult a medical professional if you have any questions or concerns about your health.

The foundation for athletes is healthy nutrition and good training. Supplements are intended only as a complement. Consult a doctor before using supplements if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication, or under medical supervision. Always follow the recommended dosage on the packaging. Supplements are a complement to a varied diet and a healthy lifestyle. Always store supplements out of reach of children.

Frequently asked questions