Before working out, your body needs fuel, mainly carbohydrates, for energy. Since exercising weakens muscle and puts extra stress on bones, your body needs fuel after a workout, also, in order to replenish and repair.
Getting the proper nutrition after working out will aid lessen stress injuries, restore energy, and leave you in a peak state for physical performance. Once you understand what to eat and when to eat it to maximize the benefits of your workout, you can implement a plan that will work for you.overall health.
Make post-workout meals that are high in protein and carbohydrates
You should eat a meal that balances protein and carbohydrates within 2 hours of your workout. If you’re training as an athlete and are doing a weight training exercise, you should eat a meal high in nutrient rich carbs right after you’ve finished your exercise. Your body is in recovery mode after a workout and these will help your body recover and will improve your muscle strength. Possible post workout meals include:
Greek yogurt with fruit like blueberries or raspberries: This meal is full of protein and low on calories, so you will not risk going over your daily calorie intake per a day.
A peanut butter and banana sandwich: these easy meal are great for recovering after a workout, as it is packed with carbs and are easy to digest.
Tuna and crackers: A handful of whole grain crackers with a can of yellowfin tuna makes a great protein-rich post-workout meal that only 300 calories.
Low-fat chocolate milk and crackers: Chocolate milk is a great source of protein and carbs, also as water to replace the fluids you lost during your workout, plus calcium, and sugar. This ingredients will help you recover quickly from your workout. The crackers will give your body some extra carbs that are not too heavy or fattening and will aid your body digest the nutrients from the chocolate milk.
Grilled chicken on brown rice or vegetables: This is a nutrient-rich meal that contains protein and carbohydrates, but will not make you feel bloated. The vegetables are too good for your overall health and are good sides to protein-rich grilled chicken.
Whole wheat pasta with meatballs: This is a different high-protein meal that will not lead to indigestion or bloating. Make the meatballs with lean beef or chicken to keep the protein from getting too fatty.
Avoid foods high in fats and empty calories
Skip the french fries, cheeseburgers, chili-dogs, and pizza, as they’ll add fat to your body’s fat stores and decelerate your digestion. While fats do sustain energy, they’re less effective when eaten before and after workout. This is due to the fact that they tend to be high calorie and prevent the body from tapping into it is own fat stores for energy.
You should also skip salty snacks like pretzels and chips, as they can lower your levels of potassium. Potassium is an electrolyte and and essential mineral that aids your cells function. Don’t deplete your potassium levels on salty snacks, as your body needs to try to replenish as many electrolytes as possible post-workout.
Though them may seem like raw vegetables are good for post workout recovery, they’re lacking in enough nutrients to give you the protein and carbs you need. If you’ve raw veggies, eat them with a protein source like hummus, a yogurt dip, or a nut butter.
Milk chocolate bars and pastries should also be avoided, as they are full of empty calories that won’t speed up your body’s recovery. You may feel a burst of energy after eating a milk chocolate bar, but these will soon fade and your body will crave more substantial sources of protein.
Apply supplements after a bodybuilding workout
Supplements specified creatine can help your body recover from an intense bodybuilding workout, specially if you are doing high-intensity weight training. this supplements (about 5 grams) can be dissolved into water and consumed right after your workout.
Studies have shown that consuming creatine after your workout can increase your muscle strength and reduce the fat stores in your body. Protein shakes are a great way to consume a high amount of protein quickly after a workout.
Drink water or sports drinks
Drinking lots of water post-workout will help your body recover and stay hydrated. You should only have sports drinks if your workout required you to sweat out more electrolytes or you’re doing intense training for more hour. Water, coupled with a banana for potassium, is the best option for quenching your thirst and replenishing the electrolytes you released through your sweat.
