National Physical Fitness and Sports Month might be ending next week, but that doesn’t mean we are going to drop our goals and fitness commitments! This time gives us all an opportunity to get active and reevaluate how our daily habits impact health. Practicing good nutrition habits before and after exercise is incredibly important so we can prepare for and recover from activity when we #MoveInMay. See how you can power National Physical Fitness and Sports month with high-quality protein from chicken!
According to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, physical activity is very important for keeping us healthy and maintaining our overall well-being. When we’re active, we benefit our mind and body by increasing our fitness levels, reducing stress, reducing the risk for many chronic diseases, and even easing symptoms of anxiety and depression. All age groups can benefit from more activity! With youth sports specifically, kids and teens can get active and develop leadership, time management, and relationship-building skills.
When we exercise, we also need to pay attention to our nutrition and the foods we’re selecting before or after physical activity. We all want to get the most out of exercise. But we may forget to make sure our bodies are prepared and properly fueled up ahead of activity. And when we exercise, our body uses key nutrients, such as carbohydrates, and breaks down the protein stored in our muscles. We need to replace these nutrients after activity to properly recover.
Here are four tips for staying active, fueling exercise and recovering properly from health and well-being experts who want to help you and your family celebrate National Physical Fitness & Sports Month:
| Activity | Nutrition |
| Get outside as much as possible. Take a walk, jog, or ride a bike outside, just remember to wear a mask and/or maintain a safe distance from others. The fresh air and sunshine will provide a further boost to your overall health. | Be sure to eat foods that build protein before and after activity. Lean sources of protein (like chicken!) are important for repairing and building muscles. |
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Keep your workouts interesting. Listen to a podcast or to your favorite playlists while working out at home. You can even add activity video games or “exergames” that simulate dancing, skateboarding, soccer, bowling, or tennis as alternatives if you are unable to participate in the real thing.
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People who are recreationally active people may need extra protein to help their bodies recover from the stress of training. Research suggests those folks would benefit from equal amounts of protein throughout the day. For most, this is approximately 20-30 grams at meals (e.g., one 3.5-ounce chicken breast) and, if snacking, a little less with snacks. |
| Build more movement into your day. Move around while you are on a call, stand for an online meeting, do squats or lunges while you are waiting for a meeting to start, or jumping jacks in front of the TV during the credits or commercial breaks. | Chicken provides high-quality protein that is easily used by the body to repair and build new muscle in response to exercise. Chicken also has a combination of over 10 essential vitamins and minerals for Americans of all ages, to help replenish energy and nutrients as part of a recovery meal with carbohydrates, healthy fats, and fluids. |
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Join the kids. Play catch or tag, go for a bike ride, shoot baskets, or pass the soccer ball with your kids. Taking the focus away from online classes, work or chores and playing together can even help build stronger bonds with your family.
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All age groups may benefit from choosing high-quality protein foods around activity. From children to older adults, no matter who is in your household, encourage your family to incorporate evenly spaced servings of 3.5 ounces or more of protein foods (like a 3.5 ounce serving of chicken breast prepared in a healthier way) each day. |
Looking for recipes to help you and your family fuel up to meet the recommended daily amount of activity? Check out some easy and tasty meal ideas that the whole family will love this National Physical Fitness and Sports Month here.
