10 Best Foods to Eat After a Workout, According to Dietitians
With an ideal combo of protein and carbs, these post-workout snacks will help you build muscle and restore your energy.
Getting enough sleep, busting stress, and motivating yourself to exercise will bring you one step closer to your fitness goals. But here is one important thing you may be neglecting: what you eat after your workout. We hate to break it to you, but “rewarding” your gym time with a brownie, fancy coffee drink, or plate of fries may actually derail your post-workout recovery.
In fact, “the body craves high-quality protein and carbohydrates after a good workout,” says Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, founder of Toby Amidor Nutrition and author of Smart Meal Prep for Beginners. (Not sure what to eat before you hit the gym? Check out the best pre-workout snacks for every routine.)
Protein helps repair tired muscles, while carbohydrates replenish all the energy you used up in the gym. “For optimal results, take in protein and carbohydrates in a 1:3 ratio, so that’s 1 gram of protein for every 3 grams of carbohydrates,” explains Amidor.
It’s a good formula to keep in mind, but the ideal post-workout nutrient breakdown varies depending on the activity, duration, and fitness level, adds Elizabeth Shaw, MS, RDN. After all, a 20-minute elliptical session probably doesn’t warrant the same post-workout snack as a 10k run or 90-minute hot yoga session.
If you don’t feel like breaking out your calculator, opt for one these post-workout snacks that has the ideal proportion of nutrients to help you recover and refuel, so you can go into tomorrow’s sweat session stronger than ever.
Natalie Rizzo, MS, RD is a New York City-based dietitian, food and nutrition writer, national speaker and owner of Nutrition a la Natalie, a sports nutrition practice. She developed a love for cooking, nutrition and fitness as an adult, which prompted a career change from advertising to nutrition. She spends most of her spare time running along the NYC waterfront and creating (and photographing) healthy and tasty recipes.
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