What Should I Eat After My Training Session?
After a tough training session many of us will either slouch in front of the TV or have to rush off to a business meeting, believing the hard work is done.
However, we often fail to eat or drink adequately after our workout and this could in fact ruin all the good work done in the exercise session!
You see, if you want to get the long term benefits of exercise such as greater energy, strength and a leaner physique you simply MUST eat well after your sessions in order to give your body the nutrients it needs to adapt and change into the body you are trying to create!
Urban Vitality recommends the following five tips for optimum nutrition after a workout.
No 1 – Replace Fluids
Immediately after a session your first concern should be to replace the fluids you have used during the workout. Failure to do this can leave you drained or with a headache. As a general rule you should drink 750ml of water for every 1/2 kg of weight you lose during your workout. To decide WHAT to drink see the section below.
No.2 – Eat AFTER you replace your fluids.
Once you have replaced your fluids make sure you wait a few minutes before consuming your food. Mixing your fluids and food can dilute your stomach acids and affect the absorption of the those nutrients you need.
No. 3 – Replace Carbohydrate
Carbohydrates (potatoes, rice, bread, fruit, vegetables etc) are our bodies easiest source of energy. They help the muscles recover quicker and provide the energy you need for your next workout. During the 2 hours after your training carbohydrates are converted into glycogen, rather than fat, one and a half times faster than normal, so take advantage of this and eat during this period. A speedy recovery is vital for best results so really try and get a light snack in within 30 mins of the session. See Recommended snacks below.
No. 4 – Add Protein
Your post workout snack should, ideally, include protein as well as carbohydrate. According to a study done by Texas State University, eating protein as well as carbohydrate speeds glycogen recovery by up to 40% rather than eating carbohydrate alone. The glycogen is important because it will provide your muscles with the energy you need for your next workout. The protein will also aid muscle repair and growth.
No. 5 – Anti Oxidants
Have you ever noticed how sore your muscles feel after a workout? One of the factors, amongst others, is the build up of free radicals which are generated during exercise. Unchecked they can lead to heart disease and cancer in the long term, but the short term the damage is done to the cell wall which can lead to muscle soreness. Whilst regular exercise does boost your bodies natural defenses to free radicals, you can boost them further by eating lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and pulses after your workouts.
All of these measures will make you stronger for your next workout! Remember The longer you can sustain an exercise regime the BETTER your results will be…
What Should I Drink After A Workout?
For most fitness activities lasting an hour or less plain water is a good choice. If you have been exercising MORE than an hour studies have shown that a drink with 6g of carbohydrate / 100ml is absorbed most rapidly. You may also want to look for a drink that has sodium in it since this will encourage water retention.
Below Are A Few Great Post Workout Snacks For You…
The University Of Texas suggested that a ratio of 3:1 of carbohydrate to Protein tends to work best for a post exercise snack. Below are some examples for you to choose from.
Fruit Yoghurt
Fruit yoghurt contains almost the ideal carbohydrate to protein ratio for post workout fuelling. Make sure you choose a high quality organic yoghurt though.
Tuna or Cottage cheese sandwich
Any kind of low fat protein food (e.g tuna / cottage cheese) with some kind of bread (wholemeal) will provide you a great after workout snack.
Handful of dried fruit and nuts.
Raisens and peanuts, cashews and Cranberry’s the choices are endless and these provide an easy source of energy in that can be carried in the car etc.
Bowl of porridge with milk, flax seed oil and fruit (soya or rice milk if you prefer)
A bowl of porridge, with added fruit and flaxseed oil if you want,is a great recovery food since it provides carbs protein B vitamins and fibre.
Rice cakes and humous
Although rice cakes do have a high Glycemic index (which means they release sugar into the blood stream quickly) they are great as an after workout snack for this exact reason. By adding some cottage cheese or humous you are reducing the speed of the energy release (a good thing) as well as providing the protein your body needs for muscle repair.
Urban Vitality
