Being physically active on a day-to-day basis is one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions, but the truth is that not many people actually work hard to make it happen. Of course, there are always folks who are willing to give their best to shed those extra pounds and re-sculpt their bodies. However, many of them don’t really know that there’s much more to it than just spending hours and hours in the gym. Proper nutrition is another crucial factor, so if you want to learn more about it, just stay with us and keep on reading.
Here is what you need to know about the importance of post-workout diet, so check out our tips and one amazing recipe below!
Proper nutrition is essential after your workout is done
Yes, we know that you’re aware of the fact that any kind of physical activity, especially working out in a gym on a daily basis, is essential if you want to lose some weight, build the muscles, and reshape your body. However, that’s just one part of the process, which is quite extensive and time-consuming. Nothing can happen overnight, which means that it isn’t enough just to wish a killer body, but to work hard to get it. Another important part of that process is your diet, which is often neglected by the people who think that it’s completely enough just to exercise, without paying attention to what they eat.
You should understand that the right foods can help you after a workout and how many amazing benefits a proper diet can have. In case you didn’t know, your muscles use up their glycogen stores while you’re working out. Besides that, proteins in your muscles also get damaged and broken down, which is why you need to regrow the muscle proteins and make up for that lost glycogen. Well, guess what? Foods you eat after a workout can be extremely helpful here, so be sure you pick the right nutrients that can recover your body and muscles much faster, while replenishing and rebuilding glycogen stores.
What should you eat after an intense workout?
As for your post-workout meal plan, it should definitely include the three main macronutrients – protein, fats, and carbs. Each of them helps in a particular process of recovery, so you shouldn’t skip any of them. For example, protein repairs and builds your muscles, as you already know that working out damages and breaks down protein in them. Of course, the harder you exercise the more protein you’ll have to replenish, which means that people who love intense workouts will have to intake much more protein than beginners.
The appropriate amount of protein also provides amino acids that also help in rebuilding those proteins, which further helps in building muscles. On the other hand, fats can also be quite beneficial after a workout, even though many people claim that they slow down digestion and prevent the absorption of nutrients. This isn’t completely wrong, as fats can slow down the absorption of your post-workout meal, but the truth is that they won’t reduce its benefits and negatively affect your recovery. The last macro-nutrients are carbs, and these can also speed up your recovery by replenishing your body’s glycogen stores.
It’s important to know that endurance sports like running and swimming are likely to use more glycogen than resistance training, so be sure you adjust your diet according to it. Apart from that, remember that the combination of protein and carbs can improve glycogen synthesis even more, so consuming them together is a great idea.
When it comes to protein, you can always include seitan, tofu, lentils, chickpeas, hemp seeds, quinoa, and many more. Besides these, you can also rely on specialized providers of high quality natural supplements, such as True Protein, which are specialized for vegans. As for the carbs, there are sweet potatoes, fruits like banana, kiwi, and berries, rice, oatmeal, and leafy green vegetables, whereas avocados and nuts are rich in good fats you need after a workout.
An easy and delicious post-workout vegan recipe you’ll absolutely love
A lentil and spinach soup is one of the easiest and the most delicious meals you can have after a workout.
Here’s how to make it:
All you have to do is to dice one onion and three carrots, and sauté them in a stockpot over medium heat for about 7 minutes. Meanwhile, mince 4 cloves of garlic and rinse 2 cups of lentils. Then add garlic, 1 ½ tablespoons of paprika, and ¼ teaspoon of salt to the stockpot, and sauté them for 1 more minute.
The next step is adding 4 cups of vegetable broth, 3 cups of water, and 400g of canned diced tomatoes. Increase heat and bring to boil. Then reduce heat and let the mixture simmer for about half an hour, or until lentils are tender. While your soup is simmering, roughly chop 150g of spinach and add it in the last couple of minutes of cooking. Add more salt if necessary, and serve hot. You’ll get from six to eight serves, so that you can share this fantastic soup with your family or friends. Bon appétit!
As you can see, your post-workout meals really play an important role in the recovery after training and building the muscles. The above mentioned macro-nutrients – protein, carbs, and fats – are particularly essential in the overall process, so be sure you intake appropriate amounts of each of them. Once you understand that these are vital for rebuilding your glycogen stores and recovering your muscle protein, you’ll realize that these are an absolute must in your diet, and that’s exactly when you’ll see a fantastic improvement!
Guest post by Ian Pearson
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