Best Post-Workout Meals For Recovery

Athletes in Calgary, Canada, eat post-workout snacks and meals to boost recovery. After you push your body to the limit and stress your muscles, they need time to heal. They also need the building blocks to repair the micro tears in the muscles that ultimately heal to make them stronger. It should be within 45 minutes of exercise and contain a small amount of healthy fat, protein, and carbohydrates. The protein increases muscle growth, decreases muscle breakdown, and boosts recovery. The carbs replenish glycogen stores. Eat healthy fat, like an avocado, after working out also helps keep hormones balanced.

You should include carbs that are easy to digest.

Chocolate milk is a favorite for a post-workout snack, but it also works well for post-workout meals. It provides quick energy, protein, and sodium and chloride lost from sweating. Sweet potatoes, fruit, grains, oatmeal, potatoes, and edamame are all options that are easy to digest and boost your energy quickly. Roasted vegetables are also an option. Including kale and green leafy vegetables can magnesium and calcium.

Eat a high-quality protein with your meal.

Salmon, Greek yogurt, whole eggs (not just whites), chicken, and tuna are excellent protein choices. Besides eating protein with your post-workout meal, consuming it throughout the day is also recommended. ISSN—International Society of Sports Nutrition—suggests that eating approximately 20 to 40 grams every 3 or 4 hours can provide the necessary nutrition to keep muscle recovery throughout the day.

Healthy fat post-workout may slow the absorption of nutrients but boost the benefits.

One of the easiest ways to determine the effects of eating fat after a workout is to compare the effects of skim milk with whole milk. One study in 2006 did this. It found whole milk had better results for growing muscles. Another study in 2017 compared egg whites to whole eggs. Whole eggs won when it came to protein synthesis for muscles. If you’re including fat in your meal, peanut butter, nuts, avocados, and seeds are a good option.

• Replenish your fluid. Include juicy fruits and vegetables in your post-workout meal. Fresh fruit like melons and grapes or chicken soup is a good way to increase fluid and rebuild electrolytes lost in exercise.
• Your meal should be as soon as possible after a workout. It can combine sweet potatoes, corn, kale, mushrooms, broccoli, and a quality protein like chicken thighs, served separately or baked together.
• Keep it simple. An egg salad sandwich on whole grain with two side dishes and a salad will suffice. Your side dishes can be any vegetable, even starchy ones like potatoes.
• One excellent main dish is salmon. Combine it with salad, fruit, and vegetables. Make fried rice with vegetables and a protein source like shrimp, chicken, or beef. Instead of rice, use quinoa.

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