Working Out with Oranges

 

We all know that oranges--along with their cousins honeybells, tangerines and grapefruit--are superfruits that boost our nutrition. But did you know that they are also great for working out?  With springtime around the corner, we want all the support we can get to get back in shape and ready for the warmer weather. In this blog we'll look at some great ways that these superfruits can be a great asset to our fitness goals.

Before Your Workout 

A lot of us struggle with the question of if we should eat before exercising, what to eat, and when. Whether you run, walk, lift weights, or do yoga, we don't want to eat too much and feel sluggish, but we don't want to feel hungry and undernourished, either. Enter citrus! Having a single orange, honeybell, or tangerine about thirty minutes before working out has a number of benefits. At only 65 calories, it provides both natural sugars and hydration, which offers fast energy, water, and electrolytes without packing in unnecessary calories. Forget the sports drinks; a navel orange is nature's perfect way to give you all you need. In addition, the high vitamin C content of citrus is an essential component of collagen production, which is timely in terms of the collagen that will need to be rebuilt after the exercise-induced micro-tearing down of muscle fibers. A bonus: these benefits from eating an orange right before your workout, combined with the potassium found naturally in the fruit, will result in less soreness afterwards.

After Your Workout

If you've had a particularly strenuous workout, eating an orange right afterwards and drinking a large glass of water is a smart choice. Vitamin C is especially important, and if you didn't eat an orange before your workout, then it is that much more critical to consume an orange afterwards to get that collagen repair going as soon as possible. Likewise, the natural carbohydrates in citrus help restore depleted energy, and the fiber helps retain water in your cells as well as add as much hydration as possible.

As Your Workout

As delicious as oranges are to eat, they are also great to work out with! When you go for a walk, take a palm-sized orange (tangerines work well for smaller hands) and toss it up in the air slowly from one hand to another. Not only is this a fun way to spice up a stroll, but it is fabulous for hand-eye coordination, proprioception, and communication between the right and left hemispheres of the brain. Combined with the boosted blood flow from walking, this fun exercise is as good for brain fitness as it is for the body. 

Want a team sport? Consider the "Moving Oranges" game: you will need ten oranges and four hula hoops. Put five oranges on each side of the playing space, inside a hula hoop. Put an empty hula hoop next to the one with the oranges. Each player has to bend down and pick up an orange using only their knees, then walk the orange over to the other hoop and deposit it inside. The first player to get all five oranges into the opposite hoop wins. Note: this game is not recommended for someone with bad knees. 

Of course, you can simply toss an orange back and forth to someone for an easy recreation break. However, if someone gets hungry in the midst, your "ball" might be devoured...and we can't say we'd blame them.

So, stock up on oranges and let's get in shape for spring!

SOURCES:

Oranges - The Complete Athlete Guide

To Eat Orange Before Or After Workout? Which Should Choose?

Is It Good To Eat Oranges After A Workout

Fitness Stuff #276: Eat an orange before a workout, you will experience less muscle soreness and they help you stay hydrated.

Working Out After Eating: Should You Do It? - Fitness Oriented

7 Foods You Should Be Eating Before A Workout (And 4 You Shouldn't) Slideshow

Oranges and Bodybuilding: The Surprising Benefits of This Common Fruit - Muscle Growth Expert

Pass the Orange Game | Skills Converged

Minute to Win It: Moving Oranges Game

Want to Sync the 2 Hemispheres of Your Brain? Neuroscience Says to Do This Daily (It Only Takes 4 Minutes)