Good Post-Workout Meal
It all begins with an idea.
I feel I get asked this question more so than any other…what is a good post-workout meal?
Many people are not sure whether or not to eat before, after…if you don’t know, you have come to the right place.
Post-workout meal should be about restoring what your body lost during intense exercise. Good post-workout meals also provide all the nutrients your body needs in order to replenish its fuel source so it can start working on repairing all those muscles and grow them even stronger. Ideally, your post-workout meal should be the right balance between protein, carbohydrates, and fat.
So let’s break it down into those macros when looking at good post-workout nutrition and take a look into what each one means to a great post-workout meal.
Good Post-Workout Meal: Protein, Carbs, and Fat
As I said, when it comes to post-workout meals, what to eat for recovery, or however you want to look at it, it needs to be centered around the balance of the three macros, Proteins, carbs and fats.
Let’s look at protein first. Protein is the most common macro, yielding 4 calories per gram. But why is it good for your body? Well, protein is an important player when it comes to repairing the muscle you broke down during exercise, the amino acids contained within the protein, help to repair the cells that are broke down through exercise….. which results in lean- muscle mass that we all want to get when we start working out. It should make up for around 50% of your post-workout meal.
Carbohydrates also play a significant role in your post workout meal. They also yield 4 calories per gram. When you exercise, your body uses your stored glycogen as energy. Eating adequate amounts of carbohydrates after exercise helps restore your glycogen, thus giving you fuel for the remainder of your day. Consuming both carbohydrates and protein together maximizes protein and glycogen synthesis, helping you recover faster and stronger. Carbohydrates should make up for around 40% of your post-workout meal.
As for fats, fats are the macro that tends to get a bad rap because they yield 9 calories per gram. When eaten in moderation, healthy fats can promote muscle growth after a workout. Regarding the bad reputation, it was believed for a while that eating fats after a workout slowed down the absorption of your post-workout meal due to being eaten with carbs and could possibly reduce its benefits, but this is simply not true as it only account for 10% of your post workout meal.
Good Post-Workout Meal: What To Eat and When
Now that we’ve touched on post-workout nutrition, what to eat after a workout, lets chat about when to eat it. Timing your pre and post-workout nutrition is so important for the benefit of those gains.
When it comes to timing, it is important to consume both protein and carbs within 45 min, As we mentioned earlier, after exercise, your body is looking for ways to restore its depleted glycogen and protein stores. That’s why consuming carbohydrates and protein sooner than later after a workout is essential to utilize glycogen synthesis.
Waiting for more than two hours to eat after exercise can lead to 50% lower glycogen synthesis rates.
Ok so now we know why…..what about “what do I eat”…. I went ahead and broke it down into category’s according to each macro:
Great Post-Workout Foods For Protein:
1. Protein powder, such as APN Protein Powder or Vegan
2. Eggs
3. Tuna
4. Greek yogurt (low fat)
5. Chicken Breast (grilled)
6. Tempeh
7. Tofu
Great Post-Workout Foods For Carbohydrates:
1. Brown rice
2. Dave’s Killer Bread
3. Quinoa
4. Sweet Potatoes
5. Leafy greens
6. Oatmeal
7. Fresh berries
8. Whole-grain pasta
9. Cream of rice
Great Post-Workout Foods For Healthy Fats:
1. Avocado
2. Nuts (almonds, peanuts, cashews)
3. All-natural nut butter (peanut, almond, sunflower)
4. Chia Seeds
5. Flax Seeds
6. Olive oil
Put it all together with these great post-workout meal ideas:
1. Vegan or Apn Smoothie with ½ cup berries and chia seeds
2. Oatmeal, with egg whites and almond butter
3. Low fat Greek yogurt with fresh berries and almonds
4. Brown rice cakes with peanut butter and fresh berries
5. Grilled chicken with veggies (roasted or fresh) with avocado
6. Egg omelet with Dave’s Killer bread, veggies, and avocado
Post-Workout Meals recap
You’ve got the knowledge, you’ve got the facts, so when it comes to a great post-workout meal, the rest is up to you. Always keep in mind that just as proper pre-workout nutrition is essential, so is your post-workout food. Your pre-workout fuels you up and gives you what you need to perform at your best. With your post-workout meal, you’re refueling and supplying your body with the nutrients it needs to build that lean body you long for.
As with most things, post-workout meals simply require a little pre-planning. Remember, failing to prep means your prep to fail…...
Xo
Lisa