Fueling.

There is one thing that every outdoor activity or exercise has in common and that is calories are being burned.  This is why fueling and eating a balanced diet of carbohydrates, fats and proteins is extremely important. Think of your body's energy system like a fire. You start with it stoked full of wood, putting off tons of heat and energy. As time goes on and no wood is added the fire starts to weaken and eventually goes out completely. This is the same with your body, as you start your activity/exercise your tank is full. Glycogen, glucose, fatty acids and protein (protein mostly only used as energy in endurance activities) levels are at their full mark.  As you exercise your body burns all these things just like a fire burns wood.  If you don't replace these substances as they are being burned  your body will start to fail or burn out, many athletes call this hitting the wall. Here is a link to help estimate how many calories are being burned based on the activity http://www.meals.com/Meals-Tools/Activity-Calorie-Calculator.aspx?gclid=CJmwyq2D7aUCFRhCgwod_Q9Gpw
There are many products out on the market that are designed to be compact and easy to digest. Examples: power bar, hammer nutrition, GU, etc.  I strongly believe in these products but I do recommend trying out different ones to find out which product works best for you. You can find these products at most grocery, running, cycling, and outdoor stores.

Recommendations
1. Prior to any outdoor activity/exercise eat a well balanced meal rich in carbohydrates, fats and proteins 60min to 90min before starting giving time to digest. The size of the meal will decide how much time you will need to digest. DON'T eat a huge meal right before activity/exercising. This can lead to gastrointestinal distress.
2. Drink often. Staying hydrated is just as important as eating, with small sips of water or sports drink every 15min. For activities lasting more then 60min consuming a sports drink like Gatorade will help keep sodium and electrolyte levels balanced.
3. Eat every 30min to 45min. Eating something small and easy to digest will keep energy levels up.  Sport drinks have calories too. If hydrating with a calorie dense drink eating can be prolonged to 1hr to 1hr 15min.
4. After activity/exercise eat a well balanced meal rich in protein and continue to hydrate.

Final thoughts
Fueling is extremely important. By being smart and staying ahead of it you will ensure your body is running at peak performance no matter what the activity. Follow these simple recommendations and remember that every body is different. Something that works for one person may not work for another. That is why it is extremely important to listen to your body.

Contact Fitness Expert Outdoor (206) 227-8612
Email: Fitnessexpertoutdoor@hotmail.com

About Me.

My name is Blake Hanley. I've lived in the beautiful northwest my entire life and could not imagine living anywhere else. I graduated from Lake Washington Technical College with an associates degree in applied science and a certification of completion for fitness/exercise specialist. I currently hold an NSCA-CPT certification which I obtained in 2007 and I am also a certified white water raft guide through ACA. There has always been two things that I am extremely passionate about.... fitness/exercise and the outdoors. I believe that outdoor exercise isn't just good for your body but its good for your soul. One thing that I have learned is that training indoors can dramatically increase performance outdoors no matter what the activity is.  This is why I started Fitness Expert Outdoor to help the average active outdoor enthusiast reach the next level. 

Contact: Fitness Expert Outdoor at 206-227-8612
Email: Fitnessexpertoutdoor@hotmail.com

Personal training for the active outdoor lifestyle.

Are you an outdoor enthusiast that loves heading to the mountains, oceans and rivers on the weekends to play?  Rather its hiking, biking, surfing or skiing.  They all have something in common fitness. If you're looking to increase performance, reduce injuries,  and just be able to play harder, longer and recover faster.  Come train with Fitness Expert Outdoor. Fitness expert outdoor is a one on one personal training company that is geared towards the outdoor enthusiast.  We are not about how big our biceps are or how much we can bench.  We are about being healthy, having fun and increasing our performance at what we like to do. Wether it be the extreme of climbing mountains or as simple as working in the garden longer. Fitness Expert Outdoor can help you reach your goals.

Contact: Fitness Expert Outdoor at (206)-227-8612
Email: Fitnessexpertoutdoor@hotmail.com