Anyone who is up on their fitness will be aware of the importance of eating healthily, but did you know that the eating part is just as vital as the healthy bit? So, bearing this in mind, what food should you eat post workout and why is it important?
When we exercise and do it well, we put stress on our bodies which is what encourages them to become fitter, stronger and leaner. Exercise teaches our body to adapt and make the most of its potential to be as fit and strong as possible.
But in doing so it means that, depending on how much you do, a certain percentage of energy stores and muscle protein is used up when you exercise. So, after any exercise must come a period of recovery and that doesn’t only mean having a decent cooldown.
Why Is It Important to Eat After?
We know that eating slow release energy food such as bananas and oats before a workout will enable us to perform at our best, especially when doing endurance type training. But also, eating a good portion of carbs and protein afterwards will enable the body to build back up the muscle protein and energy stores which have been depleted.
This will leave you more ready and able to exercise the next time and assist the positive muscle growth that you need, because the amino acids in foods such as chicken, eggs, salmon and tuna aid the production of protein, which is widely known as the building blocks for muscle growth.
Eating afterwards and assisting your body’s natural recovery adds to the feel good factor that you get from exercise, where you can help yourself look good and feel good too.
So add some nutrient packed vegetables or leafy greens and a dose of healthy carbs, such as whole grain bread, sweet potato, brown pasta or brown rice, to your post workout meal and you’ll get the boost that your body needs to recover.
Remember exercise shouldn’t feel like punishment and neither should you punish your body by doing damage to it and not giving it time to recover and repair itself. So putting off or skipping meals is a definite no-no.
Physfit Personal Trainers Will Help You Eat Correctly
If you’re a bit baffled about the food you should and shouldn’t have before and after exercise, then our Physfit personal trainers can help by working with you to devise an eating plan based on the goals that you want to achieve.
There are lots of reasons to eat healthy, as well as aiding the effects of exercise, including stress relief, an improved immune system, enhanced mood and a reduction in the chance of developing chronic disease. Take a look at the following foods you could try as part pf your post workout meal:
- Tuna avocado and spinach sandwich (wholegrain bread)
- Vegetable omelette (mushrooms, peppers, onion etc)
- Grilled chicken, sweet potatoes and green veg
- Salmon steak with potatoes and peas
- Pitta bread with hummus
- Rice cakes with peanut or almond butter
And also remember to drink plenty of water to keep the body hydrated!
Join Physfit Today
Start making positive changes to your diet as well as your fitness regime and join Physfit today. We can’t wait to help you get started in creating a happier, healthier and fitter you.
