Apple cider vinegar is literally bae. Call me a freak, but I legit look forward to waking up each morning to take my a.m. shot of that bad boy. Drinking apple cider vinegar before a workout, though, is a whole other miracle we need to talk about.
According to Livestrong, gulping down a tablespoon of organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar prior to your workout can provide your body with a plethora of vitamins and minerals that essentially work behind the scenes to get your muscles ready to feel the burn when you go hard at the gym.
From improving digestion, to stabilizing blood sugar levels, to clearing up your skin, the amazing bodily benefits of apple cider vinegar simply cannot be emphasized enough. You know that saying, "an apple a day keeps the doctor away?" Someone needs to update that sh*t to show some respect for the real GOAT here, apple cider vinegar.
Of course, we haven't even grazed the surface yet of the pre-workout benefits of ACV. So, if you're curious about them, here are five changes you might notice in your workout if you take a straight-up shot of apple cider vinegar before you hit the gym.
Or, if you're not really feeling the taste of pure ACV (I don't blame you at all), you can totally dilute it in water. Don't worry, I won't tell.
Nothing, I mean nothing, is worse than a freaking charley horse hitting you in the middle of your cycling class. TBH, I'm pretty sure that's what dying feels like.
Even though you might think your muscles are cramping up because you're just tired AF, muscle cramps aren't actually always related to exhaustion. Sometimes cramps happen because your body's lacking certain vitamins or nutrients. Specifically, if your body isn't getting enough calcium, magnesium, or potassium, this can cause an imbalance in your electrolytes, which puts a major stress on your muscles during a workout.
However, you can prevent that deadly, toe-curling charley horse by sneaking in your ACV shot before your sweat sesh, which will help replenish your electrolytes and get your body back on track to sweat it out.
If you're feeling lethargic AF after a long day, and you're tempted to reach for a sugary pre-workout drink to fuel your sweat sesh, you might want to grab a bottle of apple cider vinegar instead.
Apple cider vinegar contains malic acid, which increases your energy by breaking down fat calories in the body and dissolving toxins that normally make you feel sleepy, according to Livestrong.
So, who wants to get freaking lit off of ACV shots with me?
Apple cider vinegar is made from fermented apples, which help to reduce acid build-up in the body. Overall, ACV can help balance the alkalinity in your body, which is really just a fancy way of saying it'll eliminate excess amounts of acid in your muscle tissue, which will pave the way for pain-free #gains at the gym.
Plus, balanced pH levels play a big role in oxygenating your body during exercise. Basically, your body requires a specific balance of oxygen in your blood, and ACV helps to maintain that balance and ensure you don't get totally winded before the end of your workout.
There's nothing that halts your workout routine like a nasty cold. But when you're adding all the healthy vitamins and minerals provided by ACV to your system, you don't have to worry so much about getting sick so often, especially as the weather gets colder.
Pro tip: If you already have a cold, but you still want to make it to the gym for a quick, low-impact workout, brew a warm combination of cayenne pepper, lemon, honey, and apple cider vinegar, which will help open up your sinuses, according to POPSUGAR.
Providing your body with the right nutrients is so important when it comes to a healthy, active lifestyle. Apple cider vinegar contains vitamins E, A, and P, in addition to, as mentioned before, calcium, magnesium, iron — OK, I'm out of breath now.
Just go take some shots and get back to me, OK?
