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Food is Fuel: Feed on Sweet Potato Power

Fall is flourishing. If you haven’t already, it’s time to support the season with a sampling of some favorite fall foods. The featured food of this week is the oh-so-amazing sweet potato. Get on board with fall and incorporate some healthy, simple sweet potato options into your meal plan. Support your fitness goals, savor some deliciousness, and fuel up for your next workout at the Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym.

Not only are sweet potatoes one of fall’s seasonal staple foods, but they are also jammed with some pretty sweet benefits:

  • Fat free
  • High in fiber
  • Rich in Vitamin A and C
  • A healthy carb source
  • An amazing source of beta-carotene
  • Packed with anti-oxidant nutrients
  • Chock-full of anti-inflammatory agents
  • Shown to improve blood sugar regulation

It’s no lie: Sweet potatoes are an incredibly sweet, self-supporting nutritional addition.

So, what’s on the menu?

Sweet Potato Pancakes

Work with one medium-sized sweet potato, two cage free organic eggs, and about ¼ cup coconut flour. Mix it all together to create the consistency of pancake batter. Cook it up like a pancake. Sprinkle on some cinnamon. Voila! Have yourself some sweet potato pancakes prepared to perfection.

Greenville Gym Super Foods

Inspired by Krissy Mae Cags via web.stagram.com/n/kmaecags/

Three-Minute Sweet Potato Fuel

Boost your energy and fuel up with two delicious power foods. Pop one sweet potato in the microwave for two minutes. Slice it in half, then nuke it for another minute. Next, slice it up a few times and top it with some sliced avocado. Sprinkle some fresh cracked pepper on the sweet potato/avocado creation and BOOM: Instant, savory, and nutritious fuel.

Greenville Gym Super Foods

Inspired by Krissy Mae Cags via web.stagram.com/n/kmaecags/

Sweet Potato Fries

Chop these suckers up like fries, spray them with some coconut oil spray, and top them with some Vietnamese Saigon Cassia Cinnamon by Betty Crocker. If you don’t have or want to purchase the fancy spice mix, sprinkle on some typical fall spices: cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, etc. Get creative in the kitchen!

Greenville Gym Super Foods

Inspired by Krissy Mae Cags via web.stagram.com/n/kmaecags/

Oh, how sweet it is!

Carb up for your next workout at the Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym with some yummy, nourishing sweet potato fuel.

Happy, healthy eating!

* If you are seeking additional nutritional guidance, the Pivotal Fitness Greenville health club has nutritional and weight loss programs designed to help you achieve your fitness goals. 

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What to Eat Before Hitting the Gym

While you certainly don’t want to fill up right before a big workout, getting certain power foods in your system before starting out can give you that extra boost of energy and focus that can help you make the most of your gym routine. You’ll want to eat a small, light meal that your body can quickly process and burn off without slowing you down.

Although something sugary may seem appealing for the initial rush it can give you, when you work the sugar out of your system you could find yourself suddenly more worn out than before. Similarly, caffeine can not only make you crash but also puts you at risk for dehydration. A lot of salt can also make you excessively thirsty and dehydrated, which may make you dizzy and can also make your joints sore or your muscles cramp.

You do want to aim for protein-rich foods that are low in fat (which is hard for your body to burn off immediately); these can be paired with light carbs. The combination of both is ideal for the best kind of energy boost and will sustain you better than one or the other alone. The correct kind of carbohydrate that you might want to munch on before hitting the gym is going to be low in sugar. This includes whole grain or wheat breads, oats or some low-fiber, non-white rice or pasta; for example, a multigrain couscous or quinoa.

Some pre-workout snack suggestions:

  • Trail mix, especially unsalted and with nuts
  • Dense, non-watery fruits
  • A few cheese cubes, a few wheat crackers
  • A fruit and soy protein smoothie

You want to be sure to take a break for 30 minutes to an hour to be sure your snack has properly processed before you begin working out. This will not only help you avoid stomachaches, but also gives your body ample time to turn your food into fuel. Water before and during your workout will help the food break down and keep you invigorated. For any further questions about what to eat before your workout visit our nutritional specialist at the Pivotal Fitness Greenville Gym.

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