Horseback riding is a great form of exercise, but it is also physically demanding. It helps to keep up your strength and endurance if you are going to become a regular horse rider. Exercise and diet in addition to your horseback riding routine are important.
Nutrition and diet play a great role in helping to keep up your muscle strength and overall fitness levels. Especially, when you are horse riding regularly you burn a lot of energy and need to boost your stamina. Below are some healthy diet tips to help you stay in shape.
Drinking
Hydration is crucial for your health. If you are going out on an all-day trail ride, horse show or a clinic you need to make sure you keep up your fluid levels. Make sure you drink water regularly throughout the day, you need to be taking in at least half a gallon a day. If you are working on a long, intensive ride, or it’s hot while riding, you might need even more hydration support. Make sure you have isotonic sports drinks with you while out and about in the heat for any length of time. Becoming dehydrated while out horse riding could be dangerous, as it can leave you lethargic and confused.
Carbs
Carbohydrates give your body fuel and energy. Make sure you consume a portion of carbohydrates with every meal. You need to aim for a gradual release of energy throughout the day so choose carbs which are low glycemic index. You can choose items like wholegrain bread, whole meal pasta, noodles, and sweet potatoes. Avoid highly processed carbohydrates like white pasta, bread, and rice. Cutting out carbs completely is a common misconception when it comes to creating a healthy diet plan. Your body needs carbs for energy, and they are not the enemy as long as they are the slow-releasing kind.
Protein
You need protein for strength. Include a strong portion of protein with every meal you eat. Make sure it is lean protein and use different sources to ensure you get a balanced daily diet as well.
Good sources of protein to incorporate into your healthy diet include chicken, fish, nuts and seeds, pulses, lean meat, and low-fat dairy. Try to avoid regularly eating fatty meats in the hope it will provide protein as the negative effect of the fat in your system will counteract the good from the protein. Always opt for lean meats or chicken, or even a protein-based vegetarian meat alternative.
Fats
A key diet tip for keeping healthy is to make sure you choose the right fats. Some fats are essential for our health, while others are incredibly bad for us so avoid excess fats. Foods like pastries, pies, deep fried food, and oily food should be eaten only in small amounts. When cooking, try to avoid deep fat frying items and oven cook instead. You should always opt for a monounsaturated fat while cooking, such as olive oil, to help reduce your intake of unhealthy fats on a regular basis.
Eat Regularly
Finally, it’s important to eat regularly. You should never go for any length of time without food. Aim to have regular snacks and meals throughout the day to help keep your blood sugars and energies balanced. When you are going out on a long ride or training hard then you need to eat and drink more than normal to allow your body to recover. Items you should have on hand to help after a long ride include sports drinks, cereal bars, bagels, toast, and fruit and/or nut mix.
You should also include at least five fruit and vegetable portions every day, alongside your regular quota of carbohydrates and protein, to ensure your regular meals are healthy and balanced and providing your body with all the nutrients it needs.
Horseback riding is physically demanding. To be safe in the saddle, it’s important to keep your health and diet in tip-top shape. These are just few diet tips for horseback riders. There are plenty of other crucial things you can do to keep your fitness levels up. Click here to also try out some stretches for horseback riders. A regular exercise regime will help you build strength and improve overall fitness levels, which will support your horseback riding dreams and desires to come true.
