Hi all - as the title says I have decided to embark on a fitness programme - but have some simple (i hope) questions i hope you can help me with...
A little about me - i'm 35, male, have been vegan for 19 years (with the odd lapse to veggie) and although I consider myself fairly fit (i can comfortably mountain bike 50k) I feel that my upper body needs to strengthen. I am your typical vegan - very skinny but full of energy :-)
SO - enthused by a recent article The Army Fitness Programme in the (UK) Guardian newspaper a few weeks ago I have decided to join the local gym and work out.
I swim every morning before work for 25-30 minutes and attend body pump classes twice a week. I haven't actually hit the gym yet as I am awaiting my induction. I go mountain biking most sundays for anywhere between 2 hrs and 5-6 hrs.
Anyway - my questions mainly relate to eating....
1. Is it best to eat BEFORE excercise or AFTER? (or both?)
2. What sort of foods are best before and after?
3. Do I need to buy a "recovery shake" type product - I've been tempted by this:
TORQ
but is it all kidology?
4. If I feel my muscles aching after a body pump session - should I give the swimming a miss the following morning? Or is it OK to ache and excercise?
5. When I do finally get into the gym - what should I do for upper body strength?
OK - hope that's not too much for my first post in a while!
love
notm!lk