Five reasons why you should drink a cup of coffee 20 minutes before working out
Sticking to a workout routine and maintaining consistency long enough to partake of the fruits of your labor are not easy. Every workout enthusiast experiences harrowing off-days where the mere thought of facing the cross-trainer or the squats rack is as deflating as a punctured tire.
You will be delighted to know that coffee considerably reduces the frequency of your off-days. What's more, incorporating coffee into your pre-workout ritual significantly enhances the quality of your workouts and boosts the rate at which you achieve your fitness goals.
So, how exactly can coffee do this?
Coffee increases adrenalin levels
Stories of incredible feats of strength by ordinary people are almost always in the context of an emergency. The ‘fight or flight' hormone adrenaline makes impossibilities possible in cases of emergency. Coffee has been found to increase adrenaline levels in the body. You can harness the beneficial attributes of adrenaline to boost your workouts by drinking a cup of coffee 20 to 30 minutes before you begin your workout.
Coffee increases your level of concentration
Coffee increases alertness and reduces your chances of making mistakes when handling physically or mentally demanding tasks. Alertness is essential in enhancing the safety and caliber of your workouts. Reduced alertness results in avoidable injuries that keep you out of the gym for weeks! Take a cup of coffee with your pre-workout meal to bump up your concentration levels.
Coffee increases lung activity
Caffeine, which coffee delivers in high levels, has been shown to open the lungs resulting in increased breathing efficiency. Consequently, energy levels in the body rise due to increased air intake. Simply put, taking a cup of coffee can give you more juice to tackle your workouts.
Coffee boosts morale
Coffee causes the brain to release the hormone dopamine. Dopamine is a feel-good hormone that is an integral part of the body's reward system. Dopamine results in feelings of elation, happiness, and contentment. Drinking a cup of coffee can give you a much-needed morale boost during your off-days when the thought of hitting the gym makes your stomach churn.
Coffee facilitates muscle movement and energy release
Caffeine has been shown to trigger the release of serotonin in the body. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter heavily involved in muscle movement by facilitating nerve firing and communication. Therefore, higher serotonin levels result in increased muscle efficiency. What's more, caffeine also bumps up the body's energy levels by boosting the rate at which body cells release energy by burning fat. In a nutshell, a humble cup of coffee can supercharge your muscle gain and weight loss efforts.
With all the above benefits, it is not a wonder that workout gurus such as myself and many others have integrated coffee into their meal plans. Join the pros and start your journey to working smart in the gym by taking a cup of coffee twenty to thirty minutes before commencing your workouts.
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