Is that hard for you to bend and touch your toes? Your hands have only reached till the knees and you feel like your muscles are about to tear apart. This is because your hips are stiff and hamstrings are tight. Your body is extremely tight and it has no allowance for stretches and muscle extensions. There are various boxing stretches that help you increase the flexibility of your body.
Related: 5 Best Flexibility Exercises For Boxers
In addition to exercises and workouts, a proper diet also plays a significant role in making your body more flexible. Nutrition has a positive effect on how your body moves and that extends to your flexibility training. We are what we eat. So what we put into our bodies needs to be energizing, healing, and nourishing.
Related: 5 Super Stretches For Instant Weight Loss
Add these 9 foods and drinks to your diet and enjoy a flexible body like a fiddlehead.
1. Fish
No, we don’t want you to have a raw fish. Stock up on oily fish as it has an abundance of polyunsaturated fatty acids like Omega-3. According to some studies omega-3s enhance joint mobility in adults with osteoarthritis. They are the goods fats that improve cardiovascular health, lower blood pressure and reduce the inflammation.
How an oily fish is good for flexibility? Omega-3’s increase the joint mobility for adults with osteoporosis. Better joints, less cracking, and more stretch.
2. Grape Juice
That sweet bitter grape juice is rich in flavonoids. It can increase the HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) and resveratrol to reduce the risk of cancers. It also boosts the level of nitric oxide that can improve the cardiovascular health. Grape juice also improves the joint health so you will hear no cracking voice while stressing your joints.
3. Avocados
This green fruit is a good element for the flexibility of your body. Avocados are plant-based sources of Omega-3 as well. If you are a vegan who can take in a fish slice, replace it with avocados.
4. Turmeric
Turmeric is a super herb that is popular among almost all the nutritional experts. It has anti-inflammatory properties and also improves the blood circulation in your body. It is the cure for your damaged muscles. No more muscle woes in splits!
5. Water
Water is an all-rounder drink to entertain your every woe. Keep up the fluid-intake to enjoy a flexible body. Our muscles are like the small balloons filled with water. The key reason behind the elasticity of your muscles is the water content in them.
Keep on filling the muscle balloons with water to stay flexible. Instead of waiting for the thirst, drink plenty of water after regular intervals. Moreover, water is to joints as oil is to engine. Stay hydrated for the lubrication of your joints.
Related: 4 Ways Water Helps You Lose Weight
6. Proteins
Even if you are not the one who undergoes intense training, proteins are equally important for aging peeps as well. Increasing the protein-intake can help you avoid the muscle injuries and prevent muscle loss.
Protein-rich foods increase the satiety level and trick your brain into being full. Apart from their anti-hunger pros, protein foods are good for maintaining a flexible body.
7. Oranges
Consume more oranges for a strong and flexible body!
When we train hard, we produce a hell lot of free radicals. These free radicals increase the risk of chronic diseases. Moreover, they also slow down the recovery and reduce the flexibility of your body. Oranges have the abundance of vitamin C. Vitamin C is an excellent fighter against these free radicals.
8. Blueberries
These juicy blueberries have anti-inflammatory properties like turmeric. Hence, consumption of blueberries will speed up the muscle recovery process and avoid sore joints.
9. Watermelon
This watery fruit is rich in amino acid L-citrulline. Spanish researchers found out that this amino acid L-citrulline content enhances the performance of an athlete. Moreover, watermelon can also reduce the soreness in your muscles due to excessive stretching.
While nutrition requirements are unique to every one of us but they can serve as a good addition to your daily routine. Use your flexibility goals as mealtime motivation to reach for healthy diet options. Nutritional foods help to support your fitness and make you mentally motivated and physically ready to exercise.
