After an intense workout and spending all that energy in achieving your fitness goals you might want to think about a post-workout meal. Just like stretching and cooling down post workout meal is also an important part of recovery. But it is important to understand exactly what to eat in a post workout meal so that it can help you in muscle gain, weight loss and recovery.
In this blog we will understand what a post-workout meal is. Why do you need a post workout meal? What to include in the best post workout meal?
What is a Post Workout Meal?
A post workout meal is a meal or snack consumed within 30-60 mins after the workout, typically containing a combination of carbohydrate and protein. A post-workout meal helps to replenish energy, support muscle recovery, promotes muscle protein synthesis and reduce muscle soreness.
Why You Should Eat a Post-Workout Meal?
When you exercise your body produces energy by using glucose present in the blood. Once the blood glucose gets exhausted the body reaches for stored glycogen in the body. This is where a post-workout meal comes into play.
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Helps in Better Recovery
A post-workout meal that contains carbohydrates can stabilise blood sugars and restock liver and muscle glycogen for the next workout. This is very important if you are doing a high intensity workout.
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Helps to Reduce Muscle Fatigue
According to the research depletion of glycogen during exercise is the key reason for you to experience muscle fatigue. Replenishing this glycogen with proper post-workout carb intake can help restore muscle function and endurance capacity for your next sweat session (1).
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Helps to Provide Stronger Muscles
When you perform high intensity workout or resistance training your muscles go under wear and tear. Your body repairs these damaged muscles with a process called muscle protein synthesis (MPS). During this process amino acids are incorporated into skeletal muscle proteins, which build and strengthen your muscles.
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Helps to reduce inflammation
Short term inflammation post exercise is good as it helps to kickstart muscle repair process. However, according to some research intense and long-lasting exercise can cause long term inflammation which can be bad for the body. A post workout meal with antioxidants helps to reduce inflammation in the body.
What to Eat Post Workout?
Putting your body through an intense workout increases your need for replenishment of energy. Protein after a workout is a primary but not the only requirement for recovery and muscle growth, there are several other factors. A workout diet should include:
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Protein
While working out muscles break down, and your body needs dietary protein to help rebuild itself. Exercise triggers extra muscle growth which is why weightlifting makes you stronger. It also creates a greater need for proteins and replenishing it should be your priority post-workout.
A study suggested that increasing the protein intake for several months by 0.1kg per day in a dose-dependent manner over the range of doses from 0.5 to 3.5g/kg per day may increase or maintain lean body mass. (2)
Protein intake varies depending on your size and the amount of protein consumed throughout the day. For a smaller build, 20 grams of protein is ideal while someone with a larger build needs around 40 grams of protein post-workout.
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Carbohydrate
Carbs are required for replenishing expended energy, as the glycogen depletes after the first hour of exercising. The longer and harder you push yourself in a workout the more glycogen is consumed. Hence, carbs are the only way to replenish it.
Several studies conducted over 40 to 50 years have consistently pointed out carbs as the primary macronutrient for sustaining and improving physical performance. (3)
Eating carbs before a workout maximizes the potential of the routine and helps fuel a long, difficult workout. Post-workout carbs help refuel glycogen and help regain energy.
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Hydration
Water is an essential part of your body to keep you functioning well. While exercising you tend to lose water through sweat and hydration is of utmost importance.
Drink plenty of water during your workout. The body tends to lose around three liters of fluid per hour through sweat. The post-workout goal should be replenishing lost fluid or compensating for not hydrating during the workout.
You may also end up losing sodium through sweat, you can replace that post-workout through food. If the workout duration runs longer, replacing these essential minerals during the exercise is important. Sports drinks contain sodium for this reason.
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Eat as per your need
The quantity of meals post-workout depends solely on you as an individual. Hence, it was suggested by research to have more than just a glass of chocolate milk. As every individual body requires something more or something less.
Your protein requirement is determined by your body size, and carbs by how many calories you consume per day, along with what you ate before a workout and during your workout. However, water should be consumed throughout the workout.
When to Eat in Your Post-Workout Meal?
Just as it is important to fuel up before a workout it is essential that you eat after exercising. Firstly, because you will likely be hungry, and secondly your body uses up a bunch of calories and needs to be refueled as well. Working out also breaks down the muscles; you need to consume protein to rebuild them. It is also essential to have a post-workout meal for muscle gain.
While being hungry post-workout isn’t the only reason for you to eat, science explains that it is essential to eat after exercise for various other reasons.
A study conducted found that following an exhausting ride, trained cyclists showed significantly more power and rode faster when they were given low-fat chocolate milk in their post-workout recovery meal. (4)
“Nutrient timing” refers to the window you have after a workout to eat to maximize the benefits. Some early research has suggested the best time frame for eating post-workout meals would be either immediately after exercising, 15 minutes after, or 30 minutes after.
While recent studies have expanded on the early studies, and researchers have tested eating one hour or two hours after exercise. They examined the difference between fasted exercisers compared to those who have had a pre-workout meal, and the results indicated that one should eat within 30 minutes post-workout.
The results also showed that post-workout supplements are important in certain situations. If you have begun your workout fasting or with only a small meal, it’s essential to use post-workout supplements.
If you are on a weight loss diet, the post-workout meal is critical, and the calories should be appropriately rationed for before and after a workout.
Conclusion
Post workout recovery is vital for muscle growth and development. During post workout your body makes new muscle with the help of protein and other nutrients present in the body. Hence it is very important to eat the right food after your exercise for optimal recovery. Protein rich foods like meat, eggs, soy or tofu are good for muscle recovery. Also add electrolyte rich foods like fruits and vegetables to replace lost electrolytes during exercise. If getting a nutritious recovery meal is a challenge for you then recovery supplements like protein shakes, electrolyte supplements, amino acid supplements are the best option.
FAQs
1. Which foods meals would be ideal for post workout recovery?
Foods rich in carbs and protein would be ideal for post workout recovery.
2. What should you fuel your body with after a workout?
You should fuel your body with recovery supplements or a protein shake.
3. What is a post-workout meal?
A post workout meal is a meal consumed within 60 minutes of workout that helps you to recover from the workout.
4. What foods boost recovery?
Foods rich in protein like soy, tofu, eggs, dairy boost recovery
5. Can I eat rice after a workout?
Yes, white rice can be a good option after a workout due to its high carb content.
Very informative