Beets
Naturally occurring nitrates help deliver more oxygen to your muscles, thereby reducing fatigue during high-intensity exercise. A new study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that eating a 7-ounce serving of baked beets 75 minutes before exercise helped runners run three percent faster during a 5k-and in the last mile, they ran five percent faster. Being able to up the intensity like that means you torch both your opponents and major calories.
The tart cherry juice trick is good for more than just the after-workout pains. I’ve used it to mute the pain from a damaged nerve chunk (CRPS) and after two weeks it’s down to hurting only when inclement weather blows in. The ginger tip is another good one. For those with delicate stomachs, it can be taken in capsules.