Spring is finally here, so it’s time to fuel your workouts with our seasonal nutrition tips!
After a long, cold winter season, spring is finally here in New York—and all of us at Rising Legends are excited to get back into the swing of exercising outside and eating seasonal foods.
Springtime is perfect for rejuvenating your fitness journey and getting back in shape, and our nutrition tips are here to help you source nutrient-dense, seasonal foods to coincide with your gym workouts and training sessions.
When you eat seasonal meals, you’ll reap the benefits of more flavorful, fresher foods that are jampacked with healthy minerals, vitamins and antioxidants that support your journey toward a healthier body and life. Seasonal foods also do a great job at boosting your body’s overall endurance, hydration, and post-exercise recovery.
Here at Rising Legends, we firmly believe that awesome workouts start with healthy nutrition strategies. This is why our renowned nutrition coaches are considered to be some of the top local specialists in the Nyack NY area, and we’re here to help you create a meal plan that’s best suited for your specific fitness needs.
So, below we’ll be detailing our comprehensive overview about springtime seasonal foods and meal ideas!
How Seasonal Springtime Foods Boost Your Gym Performance
Eating fresh, in-season food products isn’t just great for enjoying tasty meals, because these foods truly are a gamechanger for your entire workout plan.
Local, fresh produce is always full of vital nutrients, which go a long way to maintain your energy levels during intense workouts and help you recover more efficiently afterwards.
Whether you’re focusing on strength training or attending our group training classes, you’ll undoubtedly experience the following gym performance benefits when you adopt a healthy, seasonal diet this spring:
Unparalleled Nutrient Density
Fresh produce at springtime farmer’s markets tend to retain a lot more minerals and vitamins in comparison to the produce you’ll find at chain grocery stores during the winter season.
This means that spring is the perfect time of year to focus more on your nutrient intake, which will quickly improve gym performance factors like your endurance, strength and recovery.
Boosted Hydration
Vegetables and fruits that are harvested during the spring often have very high water content levels.
This means that eating these healthy options when they’re in season will keep you hydrated during your workouts, which can give you that extra boost of muscle functionality when your workouts get intense.
Natural Energy Boost
Fitness enthusiasts also benefit from sustained energy levels when they eat whole, unprocessed foods before their training sessions. This is why seasonal produce is always a much better pre-workout alternative in comparison to any processed snacks.
When you blend seasonal superfoods into your springtime diet this year, you’ll see tangible improvements toward the intensity levels you train at, how quickly you recover after going to the gym, and simply how you’ll feel on a daily basis!
Best Seasonal, Springtime Foods For Improving Your Workout Routine
The Rising Legends team understands just how important nutrition is toward fueling your workout performance, and this is why we encourage our members to take full advantage of each spring’s surplus of superfood options.
Now that you know some of the ways that seasonal food can boost your gym performance, here are some awesome springtime foods to include into your routine:
1. Leafy Greens (Kale, Spinach, Swiss Chard)
It’s no secret how leafy greens are great for fitness enthusiasts year-round, but they’re especially healthy during the spring months when they’re extra fresh.
Here are some reasons why leafy greens are awesome for your workouts:
- High iron levels, which boosts muscle oxygen and reduces your workout fatigue.
- Nitrate-rich, which is wonderful for your circulation and endurance.
- How to eat leafy greens: Add them to an omelet as a nutritional boost, blend them into a pre-workout smoothie, or make them the base of your lunchtime salads.
2. Berries (Blueberries, Strawberries, Raspberries)
Everyone loves fresh berries, and springtime is when berries have their full flavor and health benefits.
Berries are great for your workouts because:
- They’re full of antioxidants that help you fight soreness and workout-induced inflammation.
- They provide natural sugars for your pre-workout energy levels.
- How to eat berries: Berries are perfect as a yogurt topping at breakfast, or when they’re blended into your post-workout smoothies.
3. Radishes & Beets
A lot of fitness enthusiasts forget about the health benefits of beets and radishes, but springtime is the perfect time of year to incorporate these foods into your diet routine.
Here are some reasons why beets and radishes are great for your fitness journey:
- Great nitrate levels, which boosts endurance and blood flow.
- Reduces oxidative stress, which promotes muscle recovery.
- Hot to eat beets & radishes: Roasted beets are a great side dish for your dinners, and you can also blend them into pre-workout juices.
4. Citrus Fruits (Grapefruits, Oranges, Lemons)
Citrus fruits offer a wide variety of health benefits, and they’re fully in season during the early spring months.
Some of the many reasons why you should incorporate citrus fruits into your diet this spring include:
- High vitamin C levels, which is incredible for muscle tissue repair and immune system functionality.
- Supports electrolyte balance and hydration.
- How to eat citrus fruits: Squeeze lemon juice into your water for a natural boost, and have oranges/grapefruits as a breakfast side.
5. Asparagus
Asparagus is one of the healthiest vegetables, and you can find extra-fresh asparagus at farmer’s markets during the months of March, April and May.
Asparagus is an awesome addition to your nutrition plan because:
- It supports gut health and digestion, which helps your body absorb all sorts of healthy nutrients.
- It contains folate, which supports your muscle cell repair after intense workouts.
- How to eat asparagus: Grill it with olive oil and make it a side dish for a protein-rich lunch or dinner.
6. Healthy Fats & Lean Proteins (Eggs, Salmon, Nuts, Avocados)
Healthy fats and lean proteins are the building blocks for a lot of fitness-oriented nutrition plans, and our nutrition specialists and personal trainers have your back when you need help figuring out what your best lean-protein options are.
Here’s why lean proteins and healthy fats are essential for your workout routine:
- They’re perfect for preventing soreness and muscle recovery.
- Healthy fats support sustained energy levels when you want to exercise longer.
- Hot to eat lean proteins and healthy fats: Make salmon filets your post-workout dinner that you combine with sides like quinoa and leafy greens.
No matter when you eat springtime, seasonal foods, they’ll give your body the nutrients it needs to fuel up before workouts and recover afterwards—so these options truly are a win-win for your nutrition plan!
Our Nutrition Coaches Are Here To Help Fuel Your Fitness Journey This Spring!
Nutrient-dense, seasonal foods are a great addition to your springtime diet this year, because they’ll improve your endurance, your energy, and your muscle recovery as you continue your fitness journey. This includes prioritizing lean proteins, fresh produce and healthy fats to help you feel your best before and after your gym sessions with us.
Here at The Rising Legends Academy of Fitness, we understand just how important nutrition is as a cornerstone of your workout routine—and that’s why we’re very proud to have one of the best nutrition teams in the Nyack NY area.
We look forward to seeing you at the gym!