The What, When, and Why of Post-Workout Nutrition

Post workout nutrition is just as important as the workout itself, if not more. We’ve always heard that what we eat is way more effective on our body and the results we strive for than exercise, and that’s true.

What to Eat

What I found to be the best things to eat/drink for post-workout nutrition is an animal-based protein such as chicken breast, fish, lean beef or turkey, and steak. Also sources like eggs, whey, or Greek yogurt are a good as well. The best carbs to ingest after a hard workout would be brown rice, oats, quinoa, sweet or regular potatoes, whole-wheat pasta, and fruits such as a banana, or any sort of berries. A lot of people think fat is the enemy but fats such as avocados, nuts, nut butters, olive oil are healthy and necessary for your body to function like it should. Also, drinking plenty of water before and after your workout to stay hydrated is very important to replenish those fluids lost.

When to Eat

The best time to take ingest your post-workout nutrition protein and carbs is as soon as you’ve completed your workout. At the very least, aim for within 45 minutes of finishing exercise. Studies have shown that delaying your carb consumption for up to 2 hours after exercise can lower the rate of glycogen synthesis by up to 50%. This whole process is essential because it will stimulate muscle protein synthesis, improve recovery, and enhance performance during your next workout.

Why to Eat

The “why” of post workout nutrition is to improve body composition, performance, and aid in overall health and recovery. It also replenishes glycogen, decreases protein breakdown, and increases protein synthesis. There are also other really good benefits to making sure you always take part in post-workout nutrition like less muscle soreness, increased ability to build muscle, improved immune function, increased bone mass, and a better ability to utilize body fat.

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