Proper nutrition after exercise is essential for building muscle and losing weight. However, you do not have to resort to ready-made fitness shakes or protein bars.
It's about eating good carbohydrates and high-quality protein within a two-hour window. Both nutrients in combination support regeneration and help athletes meet their increased energy needs.
Drinking after exercise is just as important as eating after exercise. This compensates for the loss of fluid through sweating and strengthens the buildup of glycogen.
If you want to get the best out of your muscles as an athlete, you should therefore pay attention to a good diet and sufficient recovery time after training.
What do I eat best after exercise?
Good carbohydrates after exercise are the best food for building muscle and are essential as a post-workout diet. They replenish the glycogen stores that have been emptied after an intense workout. This happens more in endurance sports than in strength sports — since runners consume more glucose than strength athletes.
Oatmeal contains good, long-chain carbohydrates, B-group vitamins, fiber, folic acid, antioxidants, and minerals such as magnesium and zinc. Above all, it has a high protein content. And this is the perfect combination for all athletes.
The Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition has shown that the combination of carbohydrates and proteins improves the rebuilding of glycogen stores.
The optimal ratio of both nutrients is 3:1 (carbohydrates : proteins). In this way, muscle building is optimally enhanced and regeneration is ideally supported.
Sufficient hydration is extremely important after a strenuous workout. Silent, sodium-rich mineral water is ideal for healthy athletes.
After Exercise – Eat to Lose Fat
Exercise can only support the body in losing weight if there is sufficient energy from the right nutrient sources. It is true that to lose weight you have to burn more calories than you consume.
Effective training is not characterized by how much energy is consumed, but includes muscle building.
Exercised muscles burn calories during training but also during rest periods. However, to build muscle, the body needs high-quality protein and carbohydrates.
If the body is not offered food after the workout, it draws on its own energy reserves and breaks down muscles, among other things. This is counterproductive.
After Training – Eat for Muscle Building
The body needs both proteins and carbohydrates to build muscle. Hobby athletes, as well as competitive athletes, usually need about 1 to 1.2 grams of protein per kg of body weight.
Oatmeal is thus the optimal vegetable protein source. It has a high protein content (about 12 g per 100 g) and contains, among other things, vitamins B1, B6 as well as zinc, iron, and magnesium.
Above all, minerals are particularly important for athletes to supply the muscles, to support the build-up, and to prevent cramps.
When Should I Eat After Exercise?
Science speaks here of an anabolic time window. This means that the muscles absorb the supplied proteins like a sponge during this period.
American scientists have found that this window is open for nutrients two to a maximum of three hours after the workout.
Even if you are not hungry after training, you should still eat a little. The body is in regeneration mode during this time and urgently needs this energy.
Protein Cereal Bar Almond Fig
Ingredients
- 180 g Verival Grain Free Sport Protein Muesli Almond Fig
- 120 g low-fat quark
- 3 tbsp flaxseed crushed, as an egg substitute
- 50 ml hot water
- 15 g almonds
- 30 g dried apricots
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Preparation
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Preheat the oven to 170°C circulating air.
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Line a rectangular baking pan (approx. 32cm x 24cm) with baking paper.
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Prepare the egg substitute: Mix the flax seeds with 50 ml of hot water and let it swell for 5 minutes.
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Coarsely chop the almonds and apricots.
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Mix the protein muesli and the low-fat quark.
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Then add all the remaining ingredients and mix everything together well.
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Pour the dough into the prepared baking pan and smooth it.
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Then bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
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Cut the dough into 15 pieces while still hot and allow it to cool.
What Should I Not Eat After Training?
Eating after exercise – these foods should be avoided : sweets, light products, and alcohol . An excess of sugar can cause the blood sugar level to ride a roller coaster, leading to mood swings and food cravings.
Reduced-fat foods often contain a lot of sugar and unnecessary additives. Alcohol is also high in calories, containing toxins that must first be broken down again with a high energy expenditure. In addition, these foods can lead to obesity and subsequently to a high BMI value due to their high calorie density.
What Happens If I Don't Eat Anything After Training?
Hunger can be indiscriminate and sometimes funny regarding food choices. This phenomenon is familiar to everyone, including athletes. A substantial amount of calories is burned during exercise, making one feel hungry afterwards.
Trying to delay this feeling of hunger after exercise can lead to overeating later. Cravings are a natural response that no athlete needs to contend with.
Eat the Right Things After a Workout with the VERIVAL Sport Range
For the right food before and after exercise , we recommend a combination of carbohydrates and protein from VERIVAL. Should you opt for a shake or a proper meal?
It is best for everyone to decide for themselves. A shake is digested faster as a liquid food, and the urgently needed nutrients immediately reach the muscles.
For example, the VERIVAL protein shake with strawberry and blackberry flavor is an ideal solution to quickly supply the body with good energy.
With a proportion of 46% legumes, the Green Protein Waffles are suitable as a quick, high-protein snack after exercise.
For sporty chocolate lovers, we recommend the VERIVAL Sport Protein Porridge chocolate banana as a plant-based protein source with a high fiber content. P.S.: The porridge is ready in three minutes.
