Did you know that one of the most important things you can do to help your body recover from exercise is to eat the right foods? With proper post-workout nutrition, you can replenish the energy you’ve used as well as promote muscle building.

In athletes, nutrition plays a key role in providing energy for activity and supporting muscle maintenance and growth. After exercise, food can provide nutrients that will replenish the energy used and promote muscle synthesis. This makes timing of meals and snacks especially important for those who are physically active. It is suggested that carbohydrates and protein be ingested within 30-45 minutes after activity. This is when your body will have the most benefit from the food you eat. There is still an increased benefit to eating even up to 2 hours after activity but just not to the same degree.

Popular belief is that protein is what is needed after workouts. The truth is actually that carbohydrates are needed in higher amounts than protein. Carbohydrates are the nutrients that restore your used energy and initiate muscle synthesis. Yes, carbohydrates have the ability to promote muscle repair, it’s not just protein! Adding some protein can enhance this mechanism even more. The ideal ratio is 1 gram of protein for every 3-4 grams of carbohydrate. Fat is a macronutrient that you would want to avoid post-exercise. Foods that are high in fat take longer to digest, this means that you would want a snack lower in fat after activity to ensure your body can digest and use the food quickly. Here are some examples of snacks that could be added after exercise to support recovery.

• ¼ cup cottage cheese + 1 cup blueberries

• 2 rice cakes + 1 tbsp almond butter

• 1 cup nonfat chocolate milk + 1/2 cup sliced strawberries

• ½ oz beef jerky + 1 medium apple

• 6 oz. nonfat Greek yogurt + 1 cup raspberries

• 1 egg + 1 English muffin

• 1 slice white bread + 1 tbsp peanut butter

 Adding in a snack, and then a full, balanced meal within the next hour or two is ideal for recovery. The steps to ensure you perform well in your next workout start with how you refuel your body. Learn more about how to enhance your performance through nutrition by contacting me!