What to Eat After a Workout

 Post-Workout Nutrition: What to Eat After a Workout

You put a lot of effort into your workout, always to perform better and achieve your goals.

Chances are, you gave the pre-workout meal more thought than your post-workout meal.

But getting proper nutrition after exercise is just as important as your previous diet.

Here's a detailed guide to optimal nutrition after a workout.

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It is important to eat after a workout

To understand how the right foods can help you after exercise, it is important to understand how physical activity affects your body.

When you exercise, your muscles use your glycogen stores to fuel you. This will cause your muscles to partially reduce glycogen. Some of the proteins in your muscles are also broken down.

After your workout, your body tries to rebuild its glycogen stores and restore and regenerate those muscle proteins.

Eating the right nutrients right after exercise helps your body do it faster. Eating sugars and proteins after your workout is especially important.

It helps your body:

Reduces the breakdown of muscle proteins.

Increases muscle protein synthesis (growth).

Restores glycogen stores.

Improves recovery.

SUMMARY:

Getting proper nutrition after exercise can help you rebuild muscle protein and glycogen stores. It helps to stimulate the growth of new muscles.

Protein, sugars, and fats

This section shows how each macronutrient (protein, carbohydrate and fat) is involved in the recovery process of each body after training.

Protein helps in muscle repair and development

As described above, exercise triggers the breakdown of muscle proteins.

The rate at which this happens depends on the level of exercise and your training, but even trained athletes experience a loss of muscle protein.

Getting enough protein after a workout gives your body the amino acids it needs to repair and rebuild these proteins. It gives you building blocks to create new muscle tissue.

It is recommended to take 0.14 to 0.23 g of protein per pound of body weight (0.3 to 0.5 g / kg) shortly after the workout.

Studies have shown that eating 20 to 40 grams of protein maximizes the body's ability to recover after exercise.

Helps in the recovery of carbohydrates

Your body's glycogen stores are used for fuel during exercise and for taking in sugars to help replenish your workout intake.

The rate at which your glycogen stores are used depends on the activity. For example, endurance sports force your body to use more glycogen than resistance training.

For this reason, if you participate in endurance sports (running, swimming, etc.), you may need to consume more carbohydrates than a bodybuilder.

Adequate glycogen regeneration occurs as a result of 30 minutes of training in body weight intake of 0.5 to 0.7 g of carbohydrates (1.1 to 1.5 g / kg) per pound.

Additionally, insulin secretion, which stimulates glycogen synthesis, is most stimulated when carbohydrates and proteins are taken together.

Thus, sugar and protein intake after exercise can maximize protein and glycogen synthesis.

Try to eat both in the ratio of 3: 1 (protein from carbohydrates). For example, 40 grams of protein and 120 grams of carbohydrates.

Eating plenty of carbohydrates to rebuild glycogen stores is more important for those who exercise more frequently, for example, twice a day. This becomes less important if you have 1 or 2 days of rest between workouts.

Fat isn't that bad

Many people think that eating fat after a workout slows down digestion and prevents the absorption of nutrients.

Although fat can slow down the absorption of your food after training, it will not diminish its benefits.

For example, a study showed that whole milk was more effective for muscle growth after exercise than skim milk.

Also, another study found that muscle glycogen synthesis was not affected even when eating high-fat foods (45% energy from fat) after exercise.

It may be a good idea to limit the amount of fat you eat after exercise, but having a small amount of fat after a workout will not affect your recovery.

SUMMARY:

An exercise diet with protein and carbohydrates will increase glycogen storage and muscle protein synthesis. Taking a 3: 1 ratio (protein to carbohydrates) is a practical way to achieve this.

Time for post-workout meal themes

Your body's ability to rebuild glycogen and protein has been improved after your workout.

For this reason, it is advisable to take a combination of carbohydrates and proteins as soon as possible after exercising.

Although the timing doesn't have to be right, many experts recommend consuming your post-workout meal within 45 minutes.

In fact, it is believed that delays in carbohydrate intake two hours after a workout can lead to a 50% lower glycogen synthesis rate.

However, if you eat a meal before you exercise, the benefits of that meal will likely apply after this workout.

SUMMARY:

Eat your post-workout meal within 45 minutes of exercising. However, you can extend this time according to your pre-workout mealtime.

Food to eat after your hard work

The main goal of your post-workout diet is to provide your body with proper nutrition for proper recovery and to maximize the benefits of your workout.

Choosing easily digestible foods favors faster nutrient absorption.

The following lists contain examples of simple and easily digested foods:

Carbs

Sweet potatoes

Chocolate milk

Quinoa

Fruits (pineapple, berries, banana, kiwi)

Rice cakes

Rice

Oatmeal

Potatoes

Pasta

Dark, leafy green vegetables

Protein:

Animal- or plant-based protein powder

Eggs

Greek yogurt

Cottage cheese

Salmon

Chicken

Protein bar

Tuna

Fats:

Avocado

Nuts

Nut butter

Trail mix (dried fruits and nuts)

Post-workout meal 

The combinations of foods listed above can make great meals that provide all the nutrients you need after exercise.

Here are some examples of quick and easy foods to eat after your workout:

Fried chicken with fried vegetables.

Egg omelet with avocado spread in a toast.

Salmon with sweet potatoes.

Tuna salad sandwich with whole wheat bread.

Tuna and crackers.

Oatmeal, whey protein, bananas, and nuts.

Cottage cheese and fruit.

Pita and Hummus

Peanut butter rice cracker.

Whole wheat toast and almond butter.

Cereals and skim milk.

Greek yogurt, berry, and granola.

Shake the protein and banana.

Quinoa bowl with red berries and nuts.

Whole wheat bread and raw peanuts.

Make sure you drink enough water

It is important to drink plenty of water before and after training.

When properly hydrated, it ensures a favorable internal environment for maximum results in your body.

During exercise, you will lose water and electrolytes through sweating. Filling them up after a workout can help with recovery and performance.

Filling the fluids is especially important if your next practice session is within 12 hours.

Depending on the intensity of your workout water or an electrolyte drink is recommended to compensate for fluid loss.

SUMMARY:

It is important to get water and electrolytes after exercise to replace what was lost during training

BOTTOM LINE

Adequate intake of carbohydrates and protein after exercise is essential.

This will restore, improve, and increase muscle protein synthesis during your next workout.

If you can’t eat within 45 minutes of exercise, it’s important to spend more than 2 hours before eating.

Lastly, replenishing lost water and electrolytes can complete the picture and help you maximize the benefits of your workout.