Published By Nutrition with Kimberly & Newport Boxfit
To understand how the right foods can help you after exercise, it's important to understand how your body is affected by physical activity.
When you're working out, your muscles use up their glycogen stores for fuel. This results in your muscles being partially depleted of glycogen. Some of the proteins in your muscles also get broken down. After your workout, your body tries to rebuild its glycogen stores and repair and regrow those muscle proteins.
Eating the right nutrients soon after you exercise can help your body get this done faster. It is particularly important to eat carbs and protein after your workout.
Doing this helps your body:
Decrease muscle protein breakdown.
Increase muscle protein synthesis aka muscle growth.
Restore glycogen stores.
Enhance recovery.
Remember:
Protein- Helps Repair and Build Muscle
Carbs- Help With Recovery
Fat- Absorbs Nutrients
Although the timing does not need to be exact, many experts recommend eating your post-workout meal within 45 minutes, this can vary depending on the time of your pre-workout meal.
Carbs:
Sweet potatoes
Chocolate milk
Quinoa
Fruits (pineapple, berries, banana, kiwi)
Rice cakes
Rice
Oatmeal
Potatoes
Pasta
Dark, leafy green vegetables
Protein:
Eggs
Greek yogurt
Cottage cheese
Salmon
Chicken
Protein bar
Tuna
Fats:
Nuts
Avocados
Nut butters
Trail mix (dried fruits and nuts)
It is also important to get water and electrolytes after exercise to replace what was lost while sweating during your workout.
Post Workout Recipe - Sweet Potato Protein Muffins
Yield: 8-12 cookies
Ingredients:
¾ cup cooked mashed sweet potatoes
½ cup nut butter ( I like peanut butter or almond butter)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp maple syrup (depends on how sweet you want them)
½ cup almonds or pepitas
¼ cup oat flour
1 tsp baking soda
¼ cup craisins (optional)
Instructions:
Combine sweet potatoes, peanut butter and eggs in a bowl
Add vanilla, cinnamon, maple syrup and nuts
Add oat flour and baking soda
Stir
Scoop cookies onto baking sheet
Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes