Should you eat before or after your workout? Well, the precise answer is both pre-workout and post-workout nutrition are important. What a person consumes before, during, or after a workout performance has a great toll on human health. However, we do not give the same attention to post-workout nutrition as we give to pre-workout nutrition.
Intake of good nutritious food after your workout is as important as eating enriched foods before the workout. Post-workout foods help in restoring the energy that you spend during your athletic activity. Moreover, post-workout meals aid in the recovery of muscle tissues and assist the muscles in adapting to the exercise. These meals help in maintaining the hydration of the body while balancing the fluid lost during workout hours.
Purpose of Post-Workout Nutrition?
The main theme and purpose of post-workout nutrition circles around five specific factors:
Reloading Glycogen in the Muscles
Stored glucose in muscles gets used during an intense workout. To reload glycogen stores, rich carb sources are recommended in a post-workout meal.
Enhancing the Protein Synthesis
A good protein powder or protein food can stimulate protein synthesis and provides a boost in the net protein-muscle balance.
Reducing the Breakdown of Proteins
Protein in your muscles breaks down during a high-intensity workout. A good post-workout meal suppresses protein degeneration while enhancing the synthesis of new proteins.
Increasing the Quality and Size of Muscles
Newly prepared proteins and freshly stored glycogen levels are required in stimulating the improved quality and size of muscles. As they provide a positive protein balance that causes muscle hypertrophy.
Improved Repair of the Tissues
Good nutrition after you finish your workout helps the body in repairing and recover tissue muscles.
Benefits of the Post-Workout Meals
A good source of post-workout nutrition offers numerous amount of benefits that include:
- Increased muscle building
- Delayed fatigue
- Reduced muscle soreness
- Improved recovery
- Better immune function
- High utilization of body fats
- Improved bone health
- Rehydration
- Lowers the stress hormone levels
- Maintains electrolyte balance
What to Eat After a Workout?
Intake of the right foods after your workout provides adequate nutrients to your body that aids in recovery and restoring energy levels. Healthy carbs and proteins are the two main nutrients that are required as post-workout nutrition by your body.
Carb Sources
- Whole grain bread
- Oatmeal
- Whole grain rice
- Potatoes
- Sweet potatoes
- Quinoa
- Chocolate milk
- Banana
- Apple
- Berries
- Dates
- Pineapple
- Yogurt
- Whole grain pasta
These are the easily available and mostly consumed post-workout foods that help the body in replenishing the glycogen stores.
Protein Sources
- Lean meat
- Eggs
- Chicken and poultry
- Turkey
- Beef
- Plant-based protein
- Beans
- Chickpeas
- Broccoli
- Peas
- Greens
- Legumes
- Fish, tuna, and salmon
- Protein bars
- Plant and animal-based protein powders
These protein-rich sources help in stimulating protein synthesis and reducing the breakdown of protein.
Fat Sources
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Avocado
- Nut butter
- Dried nuts
Healthy fat sources are essential in the transportation of oxygen in the body and keep the red blood cells healthy.
Post Workout Meal for Muscle Gain?
The best post-workout meal for muscle gain includes a combo of proteins and carbs these meals enhance protein synthesis and provides a boost in improving the quality of lean muscle mass. The food options for muscle gaining are as below:
- Grilled chicken with rice and steamed vegetables
- Egg omelet with whole-grain bread
- Oatmeal with sliced banana, apple, berries, and peanut butter
- Protein powder with water and banana
- Bowl of Greek yogurt with added granola and berries
- Quinoa with sweet potatoes and peas
- Almond butter with toast
- Steamed fish with crackers
Nutritional Supplementation
Nutritional supplements are consumed after a workout to deliver maximum benefits such as recovery, muscle building, restoring nutrients, and other factors. The nutritional post-workout supplements jacked nutrition is offering are as follows:
A powerful and go-to protein source to deliver above mentioned perks. There is a wide variety of whey protein supplements consisting of ISO jacked whey protein, ON gold standard whey protein, gold standard whey protein, and other best post-workout products.
An absolute best option for vegan people as this variety of vegan post-workout supplements are only made by using plant-source proteins. These supplements include clear vegan protein products, 100% vegan protein, and vegan pro. They contain a high ratio of protein that includes essential amino acids and a blend of BCAAs to provide enhanced recovery and muscle growth.
A variety of post-workout nutritional supplements extracted from animal-based sources deliver extra anabolic effects to the body. This category involves the product, beef XP, and predator beef proteins. They are also here to help you with muscle mass development, enhanced endurance levels, and improved recovery.
An easy replacement and go-to snack option after your workout to recover energy levels and consume high-quality protein. These include applied protein bars, protein indulgence bars, vegan protein indulgence bars, and protein spreads.
Timing is the Main Key
Consuming post-workout meals and supplements within 45 minutes after your athletic performance maximizes the beneficial effects on the individual. After 1:30 to 2 hours, the glycogen synthesis rate drops by 50%.
Bottom Line
Consuming a good and nutritious post-workout meal that includes protein and carbs is important for enhancing energy levels, maintaining muscle mass, improving recovery, and stimulating protein synthesis. It is essential to not go many hours without proper post-workout nutrition to maintain a healthy life.
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