The Best Snacks To Recover From Your Workout
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For all gym-goers, you’ll for sure be able to relate to the feeling of being ecstatic after working out at the gym for a good one hour. And the very next minute you step out of the gym, you find yourself in a rush of hunger. The next thing we know is that we’re in a dilemma of whether or not to snack on anything that will drive us away from our hunger. The truth stands that we need to eat after a heavy workout. We’ve explained it below, read on.
Why Is It Important To Eat After A Workout?
When we exercise be it at the gym, at home, or outdoors, our body is tapping on the glycogen that is stored in our muscles for energy. And once you’ve finished working out, the muscles on whom you’ve worked on, they are depleted of the glycogen that they have been storing. Your body needs the energy to carry on the rest of the day’s work. Therefore, one needs to eat a combination of carbohydrates and proteins after thirty minutes or one hour of the workout. Eating after a workout will refuel your energy tanks, it will also repair and build the muscles that have been broken down as a result of losing the glycogen stored in them. Doing this will keep your metabolism going strong even after you’re done with your workout.
Now that we think we’ve managed to convince you about eating after a workout. The next question that is probably ringing in your head would be what to snack on after the workouts, right? The answer to this is tricky as there could be many such snacks. However, we’ve put down our best picks that will help you recover from your workout. Go on, read and start refueling your bodies.
1. Toasts And Eggs
Although it might seem like this combination better fits in the breakfast category alone, the truth stands that this combo makes for an excellent recovery snack post-workout for our bodies. The body needs protein and carbohydrates to restock on fuel and toasts and eggs are all about this requirement, isn’t it? Eggs form for a wonderful source of proteins and necessary amino acids whereas toasts make up for the part of the carbohydrates (1).
2. Bananas
While smoothies are a big no-no after a workout due to their rich sugar content. And the fruit lover in you cannot stay calm, then simply relish on ripe bananas as it is one of the best foods you can eat after a gym workout. Bananas are known to be rich in carbohydrates and potassium, both of these will help replenish the lost energy of the body post-workout.
3. Clean Protein
Ask the trainers you know, and they all will agree that fast-digesting and lean protein is ideal to have after your workout as it helps in building the lean muscles of the body (2). Protein powders are the best since they easily get absorbed in our bloodstream and our muscle tissues, thereby, fastening the recovery process.
4. Veggies And Hummus
This combo is becoming a staple post-workout snack these days. Just blend in some canned or fresh chickpeas along with olive oil, garlic, and squeeze some lime juice on it — your hummus is ready! Instead of pita bread, have it with raw vegetables. Chickpeas are rich sources of protein (3). And vegetables have all kinds of nutrients that will help the body gain some energy.
5. Sweet Potatoes
These make for an amazing post-workout snack. The complex carbohydrates present in the potatoes is all you need to pump your body with energy that’s lost while working out. And if sweet potatoes are combined with a lean source of protein say, for example, fish, lentils, chicken, it will do many more wonders to the body.
6. Berries Topped On Greek Yogurt
While this food combination might look like a plain choice for a post-workout snack on, this is the food your body will love to indulge in, trust us! Greek yogurt which is considered to a good source of protein will easily slip down your throat and will begin the rehabilitation process of your muscles that are broken down because of the workout. Berries, on the other hand, are rich in phytochemicals which give a boost to your immunity system (4). It also helps fight cancer cells and regulate hormones. A humble bowl of Greek yogurt and a topping of berries will keep your hung pangs satiated.
7. Green Tea
While it’s vital for us to drink those eight ounces of water and keep our body hydrated, this tea makes for a great complimentary drink to your post-workout snack. This tea is a miracle elixir that not just burns fat but it also fights free radicals (5). And most importantly, green tea is a natural energy booster, something that everybody needs after an intense workout session.
Now you know what to snack on after your workouts. Do you have anything to add to this list? Let us know in the comments section below.
