What To Eat After A Workout

More and more people are starting to realise the benefits of physical fitness and exercise and are taking steps to get more of it in their daily lives. Be it joining a gym or going out for run, any kind of exercise is good for the body, and can keep us healthy for years to come. 

You’ll no doubt come across a mountain of guidance, advice, and opinion when it comes to working out best practice. It can often be difficult to differentiate between good and bad advice, following the incorrect guidance can impact the effectiveness of your routine and even be potentially dangerous. Diet plays a big role in physical fitness; we’ve put together a guide to help you optimise your post-workout diet. Check it out below.

Why Is Eating After A Workout Important?

When we undergo any sort of intensive physical activity, we are putting our body through its paces and pushing it to the limits of its endurance. While this is good for us in the long-term, it can actually cause short term damage to our bodies that we must then address through proper aftercare. 

The body stores glucose in the form of glycogen. This is used as an energy source when we are physically active and is required to give us the boost we need when working out. Working out uses up our muscles’ glycogen reserves and can break down the proteins found in our muscular systems. 

In the post-workout recovery stage, our body needs to replenish glycogen levels and repair damaged muscles. The best way to aid and accelerate this process is through eating the right kind of foods. 

What To Eat After A Workout

One of the most important things you need to eat after a workout is protein. Upping your protein intake post-workout will encourage the body’s repair of muscles and allow for a faster recovery time. Fish, eggs, and meats like chicken and turkey are all high protein foods that make for an ideal post-workout meal. Protein-based drinks and dietary supplements such as those from Nestle Health Science are perfect as well, they make for a quick and easy way to get the protein you need after a heavy gym session. 

Carbohydrates are turned into glucose and subsequently glycogen by the body, so opting for a card-based meal after a workout is an effective way to speed up recovery. Complex carb-based foods are usually based, these include things like vegetables, potatoes, beans, and grains. 

What Not To Eat After A Workout

It’s also important to know what foods to avoid after the gym, eating the wrong thing can negate the benefits of exercise. Avoid heavily processed, deep fried, or overly sugary foods, these will not give your body what it need and can contain harmful substances like saturated fats and trans fats.

Conclusion

When it comes to staying physically fit and healthy, exercise is only half the battle. To truly see maximise the benefits of a gym session, you need to optimise your diet to allow your body to adequately recover. 

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