05 Aug Fuel Your Body with the Proper Post-Workout Nutrition!

Proper nutrition after a workout is a vital part of recovery, ensuring you are getting the most out of your workout and fueling your body with the nutrients it needs most!

When we workout, the glycogen stores in our muscles are converted to energy for immediate use. After a workout, your glycogen stores are depleted and must be replenished. Eating a proper post-workout meal also ensures that muscle fibers and proteins that may have been broken down during a workout are regrown and repaired, leading to the greatest synthesis in terms of muscle growth and development. Proper muscular growth and recovery isn’t possible without post-workout fuel! Ideally, your post-workout meal should be consumed within an hour after your workout is completed.

So, what should your post-workout meal look like exactly? 

A post-workout meal should contain an adequate amount of carbs and proteins, the most important macronutrients for post-workout recovery. Fat is not bad to consume post-workout, but it should be limited as it will slow the absorption of your post-workout meal. 

Did you do strength training today? Proteins contain amino acids, the building blocks of protein, which ultimately helps to repair and build muscle. You’ll need this stat! Depending on your size, it is recommended that you consume between 20–40g of protein post-workout, but most people can’t really use more than about 20-25g of protein efficiently at a time. So…unless you’re packing a LOT of muscle, 20-25g of protein within about an hour is considered ideal. That’s usually one scoop of good protein powder in your smoothie, one 3-4oz portion of lean meat, or about 3 servings of nuts or nut butter.

Did you do cardio today? Then wait to consume your post-workout meal a little longer. Instead of eating it within 45-60 minutes (as I’d recommend for strength training), I suggest you hit up your shower first while you wait for 45-60 minutes until after your cardio is complete to consume your calories. This way you won’t interfere with your post-cardio calorie burn. As soon as you start to eat, you’ll stop burning your fats and sugars so that your body can start digesting. That said, do have that post-workout meal after that 45-60 minute window…you’ll need those carbs to recover!

And speaking of carbs….the second macronutrient that’s equally important after a workout is carbohydrates. Carbs help to restore your glycogen stores and promote insulin secretion. Depending on your fitness goals, body composition, metabolic function, and the type of workouts you enjoy, the amount of carbs you should consume after a workout can vary drastically. Many athletes consume an upward of 200-400g of carbs in one post-workout meal (which equates to 800-1,600 calories worth of carbs!). The general rule of thumb though is between 0.5–0.7 grams of carbs per pound of body weight. You can typically get what you need with one serving of fruit or whole grains.

What are some good sources of carbs a protein for a post-workout meal? 

Protein sources— Eggs, egg whites, Greek yogurt, chicken, turkey, salmon, tuna, protein powders (bone broth, whey, casein, collagen, pea protein, rice proteins, etc.), cottage cheese, lean beef.

Carb sources— fruit (such as berries or bananas), potatoes, rice, oats, cream of rice, quinoa, rice cakes, breads, bagels, homemade pancakes, pasta.