How does what you eat affect your results at the gym?

The key to maintaining nutrition, healthy eating, and achieving your fitness goals is finding a meal and workout plan that works for you long term. But how do you keep consistent healthy eating from getting stale?

We know monotony is no fun, which is why the team at Green Gym have created 4 weeks worth of Meal Planning for you to choose from. They’ve even gone a step further and created more than 30 recipes in the Recipe Library, AND includes a shopping list to make it as easy for you as possible. Not only that, but they have created a series of free Nutrition Guide videos to pair with the complimentary GGG Work Out Plans, and Movement Library. Whether you are looking to simply get out of a food rut, or looking to make large steps to a healthier lifestyle, we are here to help you stay consistent and invigorated. 

Why is nutrition important?

Understanding how nutrition impacts your fitness routine could be the difference between achieving excellent results or struggling to make progress at all. Eating carbs before a workout can give you that extra burst of energy, while protein helps rebuild muscles after a tough session. Knowing which foods will best fuel your body before, during, and after workouts is essential for optimising performance and achieving those desired results in the gym.To help take out the guesswork, the team at Green Gym have created a diverse and exciting selection of rainbow meals in their Meal Planner and Recipe Library to give you plenty of options that will help you feel great and stay enthusiastic about nutritional eating.

Diet and Exercise: The Interconnectedness

When it comes to achieving our health and fitness goals, there is no denying the interconnectedness between diet and exercise. A healthy diet fuels your body with the nutrients it needs to perform at its best during a workout, and helps your body perform at its best level. To help you build that interconnectedness we’ve created a Free Nutrition Guide to help you make the connection last.

Protein: Fuel for Strength Gains

Protein is one of the most important elements of nutrition to ensure successful results at the gym. It’s essential for muscle growth and repair, providing a fuel source for strength gains that can be seen in as little as four weeks. Without adequate dietary protein, it’s almost impossible to reach your fitness goals and build healthy muscle. 

Carbs: The Energy Source

Carbs are the main source of energy for human bodies and provide you with fuel to stay active. Most people don’t realise how important carbs are for an active lifestyle, especially when it comes to having successful gym sessions.. The key is to avoid refined carbs that can be packed with sugar, like desserts and white bread, and aim instead for complex carbs like oatmeal, quinoa, and brown rice in measured portions. 

Fat: Not All Bad!

It’s time to challenge the notion that fat is bad for us! Fats provide essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals our bodies need to function properly and perform at their best. Healthy fats are great for energy production during exercise as well as aiding in muscle recovery afterwards. Additionally, some healthy fatty acids like omega-3s have been shown to reduce inflammation which can help improve performance and reduce fatigue after a workout session. Plus healthy fats improve hair, nails, and skin, which help boost confidence. 

Hydration: Key to Performance

Did you know that when you wee, you are helping your body get rid of fat? It’s true! Also by staying hydrated your body is able to differentiate hunger from thirst, which means you stay full longer. Keeping the body hydrated helps improve physical performance by providing energy, aiding in recovery, and improving cognitive function. Without proper hydration levels, you are at risk of experiencing decreased performance due to dehydration-related issues such as fatigue, cramping, headaches, and dizziness. Drinking water also improves digestion, clears your skin, and helps your body clear out any unwanted fats and minerals.

How we can help!

We’ve all heard the phrase “you are what you eat” but this isn’t just about making healthy choices. The type of food you eat can help boost energy levels, improve performance, increase muscle growth and reduce recovery time, as well as limiting the risks from injuries. Eating the right food and understanding nutrition is key to reaching your goals in the gym and getting the most out of every workout, and our Free Nutrition Guide is here to help you do just that! 

Click the links to read more about our Free Fitness Nutrition Guide and get started now!

The Importance of Inclusivity & Accessibility at the Green Gym Group

At the Green Gym Group we pride ourselves on creating a safe and welcoming environment for all of our members, regardless of their physical needs, gender, age, size or lifestyle. By ensuring our space is accessible and inclusive, we hope to create a more enjoyable experience for everyone. At Green Gym Group we have a zero tolerance policy for hate speech, bullying, or discrimination of any kind. 

Physical Accessibility

Many of our members have limited mobility, and although our current gym is not wheelchair accessible, our plans for future sites will have wheelchair access. To help overcome this barrier for our less abled members, we work with the individual to create a realistic plan on how we can help them enter and exit the building safely, with support, and in a way that makes them comfortable and confident. We prearrange arrival times, have a team member available for support, and always treat them with the care and respect that they deserve. 

Our newest PT Katy (playfitnessandcoaching) is a rehab and lifestyle trainer who specialises in working with clients with chronic illness, disabilities, and in recovery, With the help of Katy and our other PT’s we can create a unique plan for each and every member who requires additional support. Physical health is a right that everyone should enjoy and we will do our best to accommodate this in every way we can for our members. 

Transitioning and Inclusivity

We are Brightonians, and we are proud of our Kemptown community. We believe love is love, and that differences make our city more colourful and vibrant. Inclusivity is at the heart of our ethos and we want our LGBTQIA+2 members to feel welcome, accommodated, and comfortable. 

By seeking guidance from our LGBT+ and transitioning clients we have created private changing spaces within the gendered changing rooms. These spaces allow members to enter the changing room of their gender identity without the pressure of changing in a shared space unless they would like to. We also have gender neutral toilets for all members to use. 

To help all of our members feel safe we have a locked entrance, so noone can enter unannounced, as we want to ensure our gym is a private sanctuary for our members to enjoy. Green Gym is a community of unique individuals who share a safe and welcoming space, where they can work on their personal goals, and be themselves without judgement.

Benefits of an inclusive environment

We recognise the importance of making sure that everyone’s individual needs are met when they visit us. Our Team Members are available to help anyone who may require modifications or assistance in order to make use of our equipment, we can also create unique PT sessions,  and are able to modify our online Work Out Plans and Movement Library.

In addition to creating an environment in which everyone feels welcome, there are numerous benefits to being a member of an inclusive and accessible gym. For starters, it increases overall diversity within the facility which can lead to increased creativity as well as improved safety for all members. It also helps create a stronger sense of community as individuals from different backgrounds come together over a common goal to pursue better health.

Challenges to implementing an inclusive approach

In this age of inclusivity and accessibility, it is essential that gyms create a space where everyone feels welcome, but creating an environment free from discrimination and prejudice is often easier said than done. Additionally, making sure financial cost does not limit access for certain individuals can be another hurdle of inclusivity. 

With the help of feedback from our members, and outreach to local small businesses we do our best to make our membership fees as affordable as possible. We offer group and business rates to help give employees inexpensive access to a members only gym. At GGG, we want to make sure that regardless of your fitness level, age, weight, size or shape, or economic states, we are able to create a space where our members can move their body, get stronger, and feel confident at a price they can afford.

Educating Staff

Our team members are like family and all of our staff have been trained on the importance of positive words, and building training programs designed around the individual. Our team is here to bolster confidence, and build connection with our members regardless of their fitness. It’s our job to help members find joy in moving their body, free from judgement or discrimination based on race, gender identity, size, age or physical abilities. In addition, we help educate members on accessibility friendly equipment to promote a more inclusive experience for everyone who visits our gym.

Embracing Inclusivity

Whether you are a new Mum, a retiree, someone who has never stepped foot in a gym, or an aspiring bodybuilder, Green Gym is for you. We have built our gym around a community of differences with a common desire to feel safe, get healthy, and stay consistent. Our team is here to help you reach your goals, set aspirations, and give you support in whatever way you may need. We want to help you create positive change, improve your wellbeing and build self-confidence in an inclusive sanctuary where you can be yourself.

Ready to start your journey with us? Get in touch with our team to book your first session.

If you have suggestions on ways to help us improve our gym and make it even more inclusive, please email us on info@greengymgroup.co.uk. Or speak to one of our team and we can set up a private meeting over the phone or in person.