What to eat after exercise? Fundamentals of post-sport nutrition
You will find all kinds of information on what to eat after exercise on the internet.
1) Hydrate with a recovery drink
After exercising, you need to hydrate yourself first. In fact, whether your training session was intense or long, you lost a lot of water, especially through sweating and breathing.
Before eating, the priority will therefore be to drink enough water, and if necessary mineral salts:
Drink 500 ml of mineral water, rich in bicarbonate, which can help “buffer” the acidity. The amount of water varies depending on the duration, intensity and weather conditions.
Add carbohydrates to your drink: one third of grape juice and two thirds of St Yorre, mainly if your workout has been intense or long.
Complete with a dose of protein of 20 to 40 grams to drink within 30 minutes, after a weight training session, an intensive or long session.
Provide a source of quickly digestible carbohydrates such as bananas or potatoes, if your next meal cannot be taken within 2 hours.
2) Eat a meal within 2 hours of training
Eating the right foods soon after exercise will help your body recover faster.
To do this, eat a meal that contains both carbohydrates and protein, within two hours of your workout.
Here is an example of the composition of a meal after training or competition:
1/3 of carbohydrates (quinoa, rice, oats, buckwheat, sweet potato).
1/3 of protein (meat, fish, eggs, legumes, tofu).
1/3 cooked or raw vegetables (spinach, broccoli, kale, arugula, carrots, tomatoes, zucchini, peppers).
Good fats (olive oil, avocado, oilseeds).
Fresh fruit, and dairy products, for dessert, or as a snack.
It is important not to skip this meal which is crucial for your recovery and your progress.
The amounts will have to be adapted to meet your energy needs, which vary according to sex, weight, type of training, and individual metabolism.
This will allow you to obtain the following benefits:
Decrease the breakdown of muscle proteins.
Increase muscle protein synthesis (growth).
Restore glycogen stores.
Improve recovery.
Lose weight, mostly fat, if you eat less than your needs.
3) Focus on complex carbohydrates
How quickly your glycogen stores are used up depends on activity. For example, endurance sports tend to use more glycogen than strength training.
Here is a list of complex carbohydrates you can eat after exercise:
Whole al dente pasta,
Brown rice or basmati,
Yam,
Quinoa,
Lentils.
Oatmeal.
Buckwheat.
Potato.
Wholemeal bread, rye, spelled.
I advise you to avoid simple carbohydrates, mainly grains and refined sugars. Their consumption must remain occasional, during a difficult training or a competition.
Indeed, consuming too many grains and refined sugars can lead to the development of metabolic diseases, such as insulin resistance, then type 2 diabetes.
Finally, these refined sugars can potentially increase inflammation, and promote weight gain.
4) Eat enough protein
Protein helps repair tissue damaged during exercise and rebuild muscles.
Consuming the right amount of protein after a workout provides your body with the amino acids it needs to repair and rebuild these proteins.
Here are the sources of protein you can eat after exercise:
White meats (chicken, turkey, pork).
Organic eggs raised in the open air.
Fatty fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel).
Organic red meats, from grass-fed animals.
Tofu.
Legumes (lentils, peas, beans).
To gain muscle mass, as well as to maintain it, a total daily protein intake of 1.4 to 2.0 g of protein per kg of body weight per day is sufficient for most athletes.
Favor quality protein sources with high nutritional value.
5) Eat fresh and varied vegetables
Because far too many athletes focus primarily on protein and carbohydrates, the intake of vegetables is too often overlooked.
This is an error that you must not reproduce and which can lead to deficiencies in micro-nutrients: iron, zinc, calcium and vitamins A and C…
So think about including in your athlete’s diet various vegetables such as:
Green leafy vegetables (spinach, kale, arugula).
Crucifers (broccoli, cabbage).
Root vegetables (carrots, radishes, beets, garlic, onion).
Squash.
Peppers.
They contain carbohydrates, fibers and many micro-nutrients and antioxidants very important for the recovery of the athlete, and for his good health.
6) Include good fats
Far too many athletes are afraid of eating fat after training. They think it will make them fat and slow down their digestion.
However, fats are a central element in the diet of the athlete, even after training.
Not all sources of fat are nutritionally equal.
You should therefore eat more monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which are contained in the following foods:
Olive oil and avocado (oleic acid).
Oilseeds such as walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds (omega 3).
Fish oil or fatty fish, such as salmon (omega 3).
These fats play a vital role in regulating inflammation, building hormones, energy and muscle growth.
7) Plan snacks tailored to your goals
Depending on your goals, it may be helpful to include snacks between your meals.
Gain muscle
If you do strength training or CrossFit and your goal is to gain mass, it is worthwhile to plan for snacks before and after training.
These should include a protein dose of 20 to 40 grams, depending on your weight and the training done.
To lose weight
If you want to lose weight, it is important to find a balance that will allow you to properly recover while losing weight.
You must at all costs favor the most nutritious foods possible, containing a wide variety of micronutrients.
Your snacks can therefore include:
Fresh fruits, such as berries and red fruits (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries) for their beneficial effects on health.
Oilseeds (walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds), having a beneficial effect on satiety and appetite regulation.
Green tea, rich in antioxidants.
It is not advisable to skip the snack after exercise.
Of course, if you want to lose weight, exercise alone is not enough. You should eat a healthy and balanced diet, the calories of which are slightly less than your energy needs. Your goal will be to meet the daily calorie needs necessary to optimize recovery and enable prolonged and repeated training sessions.
