The foods you consume are a major part of your health and fitness journey. Ensure that your body has the fuel it needs by keeping a food diary or using an app to track your calories and nutrition intake.

High-performance fitness and nutrition is the key to achieving your fitness goals. By prioritizing quality macronutrients, timing your meals strategically, staying hydrated, and focusing on micronutrients, you can optimize your diet to enhance your workouts.

Invest in a Jump Rope

Whether you’re looking to build balance, test your coordination or improve your stamina, incorporating jumping rope into your exercise routine is an easy way to get the job done. Plus, it’s cheap, convenient and fun!

Not to mention, it’s one of the most effective cardio exercises for torching calories. Performing half an hour of jump roping a day can burn as many calories as jogging for 30 minutes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Before you invest in a jump rope, however, be sure to check with your doctor to make sure it’s safe for you. “If you’ve got lingering back or neck issues, jumping can be problematic for you and amplify the imbalances,” Weller says. Also, make sure you use the proper form: "Engage your ab muscles, loosen your shoulders and only turn the rope with your wrists, not your arms," Christa DiPaolo, a Miami-based personal trainer and creator of Boxing and Bubbles at-home workouts, tells SELF. And for the feet, "start with the basic bounce or a double basic bounce and move on to more advanced footwork like the boxer shuffle and straddles." Adding a weighted rope adds additional resistance and can boost muscle engagement.

Hire a Coach

Getting a coach can help you stay motivated and accountable to your goals. In addition, a good coach can help you identify any areas where you need improvement and can provide you with tools to do so. They can also teach you different types of exercise, such as strength training and jumping rope, to improve your overall fitness level.

Eating right is essential for building strength and fueling exercise. But it’s not as simple as choosing vegetables over doughnuts, you need to understand which foods and at what times of day will give you the most energy for your workouts and fuel the best for your body.

Think of your body like a luxury sports car, you could pour cheap gasoline into it, but eventually the engine might seize up or you might wear out faster.

Eat Right

If you want to build stronger muscles, you have to get serious about nutrition. You need a well-balanced diet that includes the right amount of protein, carbohydrates and fats. You should also be mindful about your sodium intake and avoid too much sugar.

It’s important to eat a lot of whole foods. This means choosing vegetables over doughnuts and eating a lot of fruits, grains, beans, nuts and seeds. You should also aim for a healthy level of fat, such as the kind found in avocado, olive and canola oils, nuts and seeds, and fish.

It’s also a good idea to eat a small meal several hours before you exercise. This will give you the energy you need. Carbohydrates fuel high-intensity workouts and help you recover from them faster. You should also eat something after your workout. This will help your body recover faster and will prevent muscle breakdown. Eating a post-workout meal is especially beneficial for athletes who are training for a longer duration. But nutrient timing won’t make a big difference if you don’t have the fundamental nutrition habits down.

Stay Hydrated

Up to 60% of the human body is made of water, which does many things for our bodies including transporting nutrients and regulating internal temperature. Staying hydrated helps to prevent dehydration, which can lead to a host of health problems including dizziness, nausea and headaches.

Your water intake needs vary based on age, weight, weather and activity level. Athletes and people who exercise often need to drink more water to replace sweat and fluids lost during physical activity. Try adding fruit or liquid beverage enhancers to your water to add flavor and keep your thirst at bay.

Water is best for hydration, but other beverages like coffee and tea, fruit juices, clear broths, 100% vegetable juices and low-calorie drinks can also be good sources of fluids. Avoid sugary sodas and caffeinated beverages, which can act as a diuretic and cause you to lose fluids. Using a reusable water bottle and putting it in a visible spot can be a great visual reminder to drink up throughout the day. Having water with meals can also help to slow down your eating pace and aid in digestion.

Get Enough Sleep

A good night's sleep enables you to fuel your body properly, and helps prevent injury. It can also reduce your risk of heart disease and improve recovery and muscle growth. It's a key part of a healthy lifestyle, along with a nutritious diet, hydration, and rest days.

If you don't get enough sleep, it can make it harder to learn and remember things. It can also interfere with your workouts and affect your blood sugar levels. This is why it's important to try to get 7-8 hours of sleep each night.

Getting the right nutrition is also important when exercising. It is a good idea to eat a protein-rich meal or snack before your workout, to help build and maintain your muscles. It is best to eat something liquid at this time, as it will be easier to digest.

Conclusion

Studies show that eating a whey-based protein supplement immediately after exercise prevents muscle breakdown and stimulates synthesis, which can lead to increased or maintained muscle mass. It also reduces markers of oxidative stress, which can damage your muscles.