the process by which your muscles repair themselves and store up energy Post-sorkout future use. Post-workout snacks and meals, R. Knowing how your body reacts in these circumstances will help you choose what works best for you. Experts recommend eating shortly after your workout for the most benefit.

Post-workout snacks and meals -

The Takeaway Arrow. After finishing a tough workout, you might start thinking about what's on the docket next, from cool-down exercises to hopping in the shower.

Not everyone needs to eat right after getting active, but depending on the duration and intensity of your sweat session, good post-workout nutrition can make all the difference in supporting recovery and helping you reach your fitness goals faster. But what exactly should you eat after working out, and when should you chow down?

Below, learn what happens to your body during a workout and how eating the right foods afterward can help support muscle gains, curb inflammation, influence endurance during your next workout, and more. Eating after a workout could be the missing link to maximizing your training. In order to power through that run, cycling session, or HIIT workout, your muscles must generate energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate ATP —and to generate ATP, your muscle cells need a source of fuel.

In the early stages of exercise, muscles suck up the glucose circulating in your bloodstream from any recent carbs you ate, then convert this glucose into ATP. This is actually why a brisk, post-dinner walk is a great strategy for curbing blood sugar spikes.

As exercise continues or becomes more intense, this circulating blood glucose is insufficient for powering physical activity. As a result, your body taps into its fuel stores: glycogen the stored form of glucose in the liver and muscles and fat. However, depending on the intensity or length of your workout, you will deplete varying amounts of glycogen.

For example, a minute run will deplete significantly more glycogen than a minute walk. You might also burn through glycogen stores more quickly if you work out in a fasted state. Here are a few benefits that can come from a post-workout meal or snack:. Research suggests that the depletion of muscle glycogen during an initial bout of prolonged exercise is one of the key reasons people experience muscle fatigue—and so, replenishing this glycogen with proper post-workout carb intake can help restore muscle function and endurance capacity for your next sweat session.

Then, during the post-exercise recovery period, your body repairs this damage with a process called muscle protein synthesis MPS. During MPS, amino acids are incorporated into skeletal muscle proteins, which builds and strengthens your muscles.

Getting adequate rest and eating enough protein are both key for this process. Your body can experience varying degrees of inflammation after a workout. Keep in mind, not all inflammation is bad.

In fact, the short-term inflammation triggered by a bout of exercise is important for kickstarting muscular repair processes and promoting long-term beneficial adaptations to training—and over time, regular physical activity has an anti-inflammatory effect.

However, some research says that certain types of physical activity may be more likely to ramp up inflammation than others—particularly intense, long-lasting exercise without enough rest.

Curbing unhealthy exercise-induced inflammation mostly comes down to knowing your limits and allowing time for appropriate rest, but your diet can help, too.

The length, intensity, and type of workout will dictate whether you should quickly refuel and how much. This is particularly true for people wanting to add muscle mass and for busy, active individuals who tend to have a harder time meeting their overall calorie needs for the day, she adds.

So what, exactly, should you eat after a workout? Aim to eat a balanced meal or snack containing a combo of complex carbs, protein, and healthy fats. Many studies have tested various carb-to-protein ratios after workouts, but instead of stressing over proportions, simply aim for a mix of these macros, then tune into how your body feels and performs during future workouts.

Below, learn a bit more about the importance of carbs, proteins, and fats for post-workout recovery—and keep reading for specific meal and snack ideas.

Generally, your best bet is going to be minimally processed, complex carbohydrates , which are digested slower; less likely to spike blood sugar; and contain more vitamins, minerals, and fiber than refined carbohydrates and added sugars.

Good post-workout carbohydrate sources include:. Various types of fruit such as bananas, mango, or apples. Whole wheat or whole grain varieties of bread, sandwich wraps, English muffins, pastas, and pretzels. Protein-rich foods supply the body with amino acids, which enhance muscle repair and growth, particularly when you eat them after exercising.

While the amount of protein you need depends on your individual needs, the National Library of Medicine recommends that healthy adults intake protein for percent of their total daily calories.

That means a person on a 2, calorie diet would eat about grams of protein per day. Good post-workout protein sources include:.

High-quality protein powder look for ones with few ingredients and no added sugars, fillers, artificial sweeteners, or preservatives, per the Cleveland Clinic. Nuts and nut butter. Fat may not be as important in the post-workout period as carbs and protein, but this macronutrient can help you feel full, support stable energy levels , enhance absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, and maintain cell membrane integrity—all of which are important for recovery, McDaniel notes.

Omega-3 fats can also help curb inflammation, especially when consumed regularly. Some preliminary research even suggests that omega-3 intake may help improve post-workout recovery. Just keep in mind that you may not need to add a separate source of fat to your post-workout meal or snack, since some protein-rich foods contain fat already.

Good post-workout fat sources include:. Nuts and nut butters. Extra virgin olive oil. For an added bonus after particularly strenuous workouts, you can also consider incorporating specific anti-inflammatory foods, such as tart cherries , wild blueberries , and turmeric , suggests registered dietitian Jessica Cording, MS, RD, CDN.

For example, muscle cells have increased sensitivity to insulin for a period of time after you work out. This allows your muscles to more rapidly absorb glucose when you consume carbohydrates, supporting more rapid glycogen resynthesis.

Muscles can also take up amino acids more efficiently during this post-exercise window, and consuming protein shortly after a workout has been shown to enhance muscle protein synthesis aka strengthen and build your muscles.

Having a balanced meal or snack within a few hours, or whenever you get hungry, is perfectly fine. Ready to fuel up, but not sure what to eat after a workout?

The following snacks contain a combination of carbohydrates, proteins, and healthy fats to support workout recovery and overall health. Banana with nut butter. Sliced apple with an ounce of cheese.

Piece of fruit with one or two hard boiled eggs. Dried fruit and a small handful of nuts. Carrot slices, whole wheat pita, and hummus. DIY trail mix with dried edamame, nuts, raisins, and dark chocolate.

Smoothie made with 1 cup milk or plant-based milk, 1 cup fruit, and a scoop of protein powder optional: add a handful of mild greens, like baby spinach.

Oatmeal with ground flaxseed, milk, fruit, and chopped nuts or nut butter. Us on-the-go fitness people should probably have a version of these within a meter radius at all times, but especially one in the gym bag.

Pasta is so versatile. Or apple and peanut butter, or a spoon and peanut butter. Seriously, though, fruit on the go provides your muscles with some much-needed post-workout carbohydrates, and the peanut butter contains healthy fats and pure joy. For some, this could be a slippery slope, however, so we should probably all buy individually portioned cartons, and not a 2L bottle, because, do any of us really have that much willpower?

You know what makes both the perfect breakfast food, but is also great as a post-workout snack? Protein pancakes. Add some Sugar-Free Syrup on top and say hello to tastebud fireworks. Being prepared means that you can stop cravings in their tracks, without eating 65 loaves of bread in a moment of weakness.

Our recommendation? Our articles should be used for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to be taken as medical advice. If you're concerned, consult a health professional before taking dietary supplements or introducing any major changes to your diet.

Joanne realised in her late teens that her fast metabolism was no longer on her side, and had gone six months without eating a vegetable.

She threw out the contents of her fridge, bought nutritious food, her first pair of trainers, and has never looked back. She's now 20kg down it's stayed off , and suddenly found a love for health and fitness.

Skip to main content. Search all articles start article search. Nutrition 10 Quick Post-Workout Snacks To Fuel Your Muscles. Joanne Tanton Contributor 2 years ago. Trail Mix. Enjoy this article on post-workout snacks? Nutrition Are Protein Bars Good For You?

Healthy Or Hype? Follow this checklist for one that's both satisfying and healthy. Joanne Tanton Contributor. Related Articles. Recipes Mexican Hot Chocolate Mood-Boosting Foods 3 years ago By Lauren Dawes.

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Snd Clinic snxcks appointments in Arizona, Florida Nad Minnesota and at Mayo Clinic Health System locations. Knowing when Post-workkout what to eat Boost metabolic energy levels make a difference in your workouts. Understand the connection between eating and exercise. Eating and exercise go together. When and what you eat can be important to how you feel when you exercise. And it's important to think about what you eat when you exercise, whether you're doing a casual workout or training for a competition.