Post-Workout Nutrition Tips You Must Follow
his generation is full of fitness freaks. While exercise is necessary to be healthy and active, it might put your body under stress. Strenuous workout sessions often lead to minute wear and tear in your body and massive dehydration. It also depletes your nutritional levels rapidly. Taking care of your body post-workout is as vital as the drill itself. Good post-workout nourishment keeps your body fit.
So here are some simple nutrition tips that might increase the benefits of your workout sessions by several folds.
Rehydrating yourself!
You lose a lot of body fluids in the form of sweat after a heavy workout session. Dry mouth, rapid and shallow breathing are all signs of dehydration. Moreover, the body temperature rises, and your heart pounds heavily too. Drinking adequate water within an hour after your workout session rehydrates you. Rehydration is necessary to decrease body temperature and control your heartbeat. It takes care of your dizziness and fatigue and helps your body to recover from wear and tear.
If you feel too dizzy after a workout, take Glucose water immediately. It restores energy and stabilizes the blood glucose level. You should drink 16-24 ounces of water for every 1 pound of body weight that you lose during your exercise.
Need For Replenishing Your Energy Stores
You must be wondering why you should be eating after a workout? High intensity exercises done for an excess period often leads to the consumption of most of the carbohydrate stores in your body—these carbohydrate stores in the form of glycogen. Thus, a nutritious post-workout meal restores all energy levels in your body.
Your post-workout meal has yet another vital role in your body. It helps to repair those minute wear and tear of your muscle tissues and allows them to refurbish.
Timing Of Your Post-Workout Meal
Research shows that consuming food within the first half an hour to one hour of workout may prove to be quite beneficial for optimal recovery.
Nutritional Requirements Post-Workout
As carbohydrate depletes rapidly during high-intensity workouts, recharging them after activity becomes vital. So after a session, carbs can be the best source of energy restoration. Think of your body as a vehicle, as it requires petrol after running a few miles, similar carbs act as fuel for your body. Carbs are simple and easy to absorb. Thus, carbs are the best choice for post-workout nutrition. But remember, not all carbs are the same; some have complex structures and may take time to absorb. Avoid such carbs as these do not provide the benefit of quick energy replenishment.
The repairing of wear and tear of your body requires protein. They are necessary to rebuild the muscle tissues and help you to gain desired lean muscle mass.
After a session, avoid meals that are high in fat. Although healthy fats should be in your diet. It may slow down food absorption immediately after exercise. So, always prefer a low-fat meal after your workout sessions.
So make sure your post-training meal is high in simple carbs, proteins, and low in fats.
Best post-workout meals
Now that you know what you must be eating after a workout. Here are some of the best post-workout meal suggestions for you!
Bananas are the best pre and post-workout meal options available out there. Bananas are cheap, accessible, easy to carry, and highly nutritious. They are not only a great source of carbohydrates and proteins but also a rich source of potassium. During exercise, our muscles also need potassium. Thus, depletes the potassium stores in your body. Having it post-workout not only recovers the body but also restores potassium levels.
The combination of yogurt with fresh fruit and honey is also one of the meals available. Yogurt provides you with proteins that the repair of your muscles and fruits serve as a great source of carbs and other healthy vitamins and minerals.
You can also eat oatmeal along with nuts post-workout. It is an excellent source of carbohydrates and proteins. They also contain essential vitamins and minerals which help in the faster recovery.
You can also try peanut butter sandwiches which are quite delicious to eat and easy to prepare. Peanut butter is rich in carbs, proteins, vitamin E, and magnesium. Our body requires magnesium to maintain the electrolyte balance post-workout.
There are many more food combinations that are available for eating after a workout. Examples like quinoa with berries, whole-grain toast with almond butter, milk with whey protein and protein shakes.
Make sure that whatever food combination you choose suits your body. The meal must be full of carbohydrates, proteins, low in fats and other nutrients. So, workout hard and enjoy your post-workout meal!
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