FIT TIP: Train Like an Olympian
February 18, 2014 // Category: Fitness Advisor
“Follow your dreams, work hard, practice and persevere. Make sure you eat a variety of foods, get plenty of exercise and maintain a healthy lifestyle.”
-Sasha Cohen, Silver Medalist at 2006 Olympic Games
We love the Olympics: heartwarming moments, gut-wrenching storylines and fearlessly dedicated athletes. Although you may not be training for an elite competition in the near future, all of us can learn from our Olympic heroes and walk away feeling like champs.
Develop the Discipline. No surprise, Olympians have discipline. They use systematic and diligent training as the bridge between goals and accomplishments. They commit to a clear goal, visualize themselves achieving it, and then they train for it – relentlessly. Not every disciplined athlete wins a gold medal, but using discipline allows us to reach our highest potential, with nothing left on the table. Our advice: embrace an Olympic discipline. Set a clear goal with checkpoints and a deadline. Visualize achieving your objective. Get up early and train. Realize that every workout won’t be your best. Do something each day to get your closer to your destination. As always, work harder.
Plan Like a Champion. No more lackadaisical workouts with extended rest periods and ill-defined goals. Plan and maintain your weekly workouts as if a medal is on the line. Make sure you’re working on cardiovascular endurance, muscle building and interval training so you can push yourself out of your established comfy workout zone. Change can be a challenge, but challenge can lead to greatness.
Fuel Like an Olympian. Athletes know that what they eat and drink helps determine their effectiveness when it counts. They get plenty of fluids (guzzle your water) and eat lots of water-packed fruits and veggies. They fuel with carbs pre-competition and recover with carbs and protein. Make sure to eat your breakfast and work out with fuel in your tank. Restore and rebuild your muscles after your workout with a protein shake, a good source of dairy, meat, beans, eggs, nuts or seeds. Fuel your inside to be an athlete on the outside.