Do you like smoothies now I know what your thinking smoothies aren’t just for the hipsters, they are actually an incredibly powerful way of eating that can have incredible effects o your surfing. Pro surfers like Kelly Slater, and Stephanie Gilmore have talked about their daily routines always starting with smoothies before a surf as well as 2 time world surfing champion John John Florence who uses smoothie a lot to keep his energy level high. So if you want to eat like the pros and smoothie like them too check out our top 10 reasons smoothies are perfect for surfers.
10 Reasons Smoothies Are Perfect For Surfers
1. Absorb More Nutrients
Any surfer will tell you they can eat like a pig after a surf session the hunger is real, but energy isn’t just calories in vs calories out that affects our energy levels by adding in more power hours nutrient-dense foods such as Green veggies like kale, spinach, collard greens, broccoli and lettuce are nutrient rich in so many essential nutrients and when you blend it up in a smoothie, those veggies become a whole lot more palatable perfect for a post-surf recovery meal and especially blended those nutrients are released and rapidly absorbed by the body. so if you looking to stay healthier try a green smoothie. our trick is to start of with half greens and half fruits like mixed berries and bananas as that will make the tastes easier to consume as you start.
2. Increased Energy
What surfer doesn’t want more energy, with more energy? You could surf longer,catch more waves and have more fun, energy levels are a huge factor in your surfing performance so if you not getting the right fuel for your body you need to switch it up and there is no better way than a surfer smoothies. Adding in veggies fruits as well and nuts and grains like oats can be the perfect blend of fats carbohydrates and proteins to help keep your energy super high all session, smoothies allow for quicker nutrient absorption, allowing you to become invigorated and energised faster! fruits like bananas are perfect for quick energy and added with some strawberries make a perfect ready to go-pre-surf energy shake.
3. Improved Digestion
when you think of surfing and food the last thing you want is something sitting heavy on your stomach before you head out into the waves. if your body is still digesting it and you go surfing there is a pretty good chance that that meal might come back out in a chunder dragon out in the lineup. Smoothies are incredibly fast absorbing since the blender has done all the hard work for you and improved that absorption time, smoothies make use of the whole fruits and veggies allowing you quick absorption but still with that all important fibre that gets left out with juices. leafy greens and a variety of fruits will help your body reach optimal digestibility and help you stay hydrated.
4. Boost Your Immune System
do you ever get sick? I know I do and as surfer we are a little more on the front line than most as we interact with an environment that depending were you like can be pretty hazardous to your health. raw sewage bacteria and infections all very easy for surfers to get, so we need some extra protection to protect our body and give it the ammo to fight back when we do get ill. plan based foods are loaded with phytonutrients which help our body’s immune system, foods like leafy greens and fruits strengthen your immune system and keep you fit and healthy all year long and help you stave off illness all year long.
5. Healthy Bones
Surfing can be pretty tough on the body sometimes and keeping the body in good shape can be even more difficult if your body hasn’t got the right vitamins and minerals to keep it healthy. by adding in some Dark leafy green vegetables into your smoothies can really help maintain your bone health and density as green leafy vegetables are super rich in calcium and vitamin K, these are an essential nutrient which helps ensure calcium reaches your bones and not your tissues.
6. Great For Your Heart Health
Goes without saying, we all want a healthy heart, no one wants to die and we all want to keep surfing into our golden years so looking after the ticker is an important one if you gonna be catching tubes when you 80 smoothies are the way to go. Smoothies can help your heart health as adding in lots of vegetables and fruits ensures a Rich supply of antioxidants such as vitamin A and C, some of our favourite green smoothies like the one below can significantly lower cholesterol, and have been proven to help lower your risk of heart attack or stroke. So do what they say and have a smoothie a day to keep the doctor away, it might just save your life.
7. Save Your Skin
Surfers as a bunch might no have the worlds best skin as we some time can be exposed to more sun than your average Jo and can brace the harsh winds and sea of a cold winter so our skin can go through a lot, keeping it protected and looking good can easily be done as most green smoothies have super high levels of antioxidants, which help to reduce the signs of ageing as well as hydrate your skin. not only this but adding in foods like Amla, Goji berries and blueberries can really protect the body from infection and help your skin stay looking vibrant. if you surf a lot sun burn or sun damage can be a pretty debilitating thing but smoothies have got the answer as there are meany foods that can help to protect your skin from sun dage and also protect against the harmful rays. Foods like carrots, tomatoes,leafy greens, nuts, watermelon, strawberries and blueberries are some of the best to help keep you looking great and feeling great
8. Get Your 5 A Day Without Even Realising It!
Probably the best reason to have a smoothie is because most of us don’t get our 5 a day, recent surveys of people in the UK suggests that over 60 percent of people don’t meet their daily target of 5 fruit and vegetables a day. That crazy so just start by adding in some raw greens in to a smoothies not only helps you get them in but makes them taste nice if you add in some berries and bananas its going to taste awesome not only this but you will get those greens in raw which is much more ideal and better for protecting the human body against disease and ensuring you get that nutrient content of the plant. not to mention greens are incredible sources of chlorophyll which helps our bodies replenish and rebuild red blood cells making our body feel rejuvenated.
9. Reduce Unhealthy Cravings
It may sound weird but once you start you will love the benefits like any surfer we have all been there and looking for a quick snack before the surf we grab whatever is available just to fill a hunger pain, but most of that craving isn’t beneficial to us. When you consume whole, unprocessed, nourishing foods, your body it rewarded with and influx of health vitamins and minerals essential to overall health having a healthy smoothie packs full of vegetables, fruits and some super foods is a perfect way to recharge your body fast. this will eventually help your body adapt and crave those healthy foods instead of the unhealthy snacks.
10. Make It A Daily Habit
Things take time so if you don’t like smoothies or even the thought of giving up your post surf Mc Donald’s sounds absurd just remember you doing it for your own good. studies have shown consuming green smoothies encourages you to make similar healthy choices and habits in the future, so the more you do it the better you will feel and the easier it will become make it a consistent part of your daily routine and that healthy habit will become your new norm. we not saying you need to go full smoothie master but just start off adding in a few a week or opting for a side salad instead of fries when eating out.
so hopefully we have persuaded you to put the macky’ds down or think about going for a smoothie rather than a fast food marathon after a surf and look for a handy and conveniently smoothie that you can make beforehand and always have with you convenient for pre or post surf and make you feel incredible. Just remember preparation is key and now you know all of these smoothie facts you will no doubt be shredding extra hard with all your added energy and better health.
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