The eternal question always arises, what to eat after training? Nutrition is important for the recovery of the body, so you will choose special foods that will help your body. The diet will also depend on your goal – do you want to lose weight or gain weight? If you want to gain strength, eat 5 to 10g of carbs per 1kg of your weight per day.
If you exercise once to three times a day, don’t worry, normal meals will help your body function normally. If these workouts are more frequent, you should commit to a proper diet so that your body can grow accordingly.
If you eat inappropriate foods, such as fast food, you will most likely feel tired. Fast food will only increase your pain, you will be irritated, dissatisfied, and the risk of injury increases.
It is very important to eat foods that are rich in energy and nutrients if you exercise. You’ve worn out your body, now it needs energy back.
And, of course, – liquid! By no means forget to ingest enough fluid, it is the foundation. Enough fluids will allow the muscles and body to function properly. When you exercise, your body loses a large amount of water. Which leads to dehydration.
Do you do cardio today? Or have you decided something else after all? Or do you not know at all what to do? Be sure to grab a gym appointment in a couple of clicks, and then grab some exercise ideas there!
What to eat on a Cardio day?
As with any exercise, if we eat healthy before exercise, we will perform that exercise better. So it is with cardio exercises.
First thing, your body loses calories even when you sleep. If you plan to exercise cardio in the morning, it is recommended to eat a snack full of carbs about 30 minutes before your workout. Make your snack 80 percent carbs, it won’t be as rich as breakfast, but it will quench your hunger while you train. If you exercise for over half an hour, it would be best to add protein so that your body can perform the task smoothly.
As for snacks, you can also eat an apple, banana, granola, some cheese or meat.
If you exercise cardio in the afternoon or evening, make a plan, and don’t forget to eat before your cardio workout. Eat protein and carbohydrates 2 to 3 hours before cardio training. You can eat whole-grain bread, fruits (e.g. apple, banana).
Be sure to follow your meals, eat 5 smaller meals a day, so your metabolism will speed up. If you don’t eat often throughout the day, your body will actually slow down your metabolism, which means fat will be more easily absorbed by the body.
Food Ideas
- Roast chicken with vegetables and rice
- Omelet with avocado on integral toast
- Salmon with sweet potatoes
- Tuna sandwich with wholemeal bread
- Fruit
- LOTS OF LIQUIDS!
What to eat before training in general? Tips for building strength and for losing weight
For building strength
Food is often neglected before training, which leads to dizziness, lethargy, nausea, and the like. Your body is exhausted and you are in danger of injury. To avoid unpleasant consequences, ingest nutrients before exercising. You will gain strength and energy for better training, and it is recommended to eat carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.
Carbohydrate is energy. Carbohydrates use glycogen as a source of energy, which is converted into glucose. If the number of glycogen increases, you could train harder and longer, which will result in more muscle mass.
Protein is important for muscle tissue regeneration. Protein is a source of amino acids that help restore muscle mass.
Fats, but healthy fats are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Fats will slow down digestion and thus ensure optimal blood glucose and insulin levels.
In addition to proper nutrition, it is important when you eat it. Approximately 30 minutes to 3 hours before training it is advisable to eat food. Timing is key!
It can be fruit, wholemeal pastry, oatmeal, eggs, avocado, protein shake, or easily digestible protein.
For losing weight
The goal of the meal is to provide the body with fuel for the most optimal training. The ideal pre-workout food should be eaten up to 3 hours back. During these three hours, the body will digest food and give the body (muscles) energy. The best combination is carbohydrates, proteins, and fats before a workout if that workout is in the afternoon. It can be a turkey sandwich, integral pasta with turkey meat, baked potatoes and broccoli, peanut butter, etc.
Also, your diet should be adjusted to the part of the day you exercise. If you exercise in the morning, eat about 30 minutes before exercising. Eat light carbohydrates, such as boiled eggs, wholemeal toast with a slice of cheese, Greek yogurt with a little fruit. Avoid foods high in fat and fiber, it is difficult to digest.
What to eat after training in general? Tips for building strength and for losing weight
For building strength
Post-workout food is like the last step of training. Without food after training we will not progress too much, our body will starve and will not be able to regenerate fast enough. But we think no one will skip food after a workout. The reason for this is increased appetite due to calorie deficit. You burned all the calories in your workout and now your body wants to make up for them. In addition to losing calories, you have also lost minerals and vitamins, which you also need to make up for.
The best foods for post-body training are proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.
Proteins in the diet are very important because they are inevitable for muscle regeneration. Eat about 20 to 40 grams of protein per meal (0.3 to 0.5 g of protein per kg of bodyweight if you are a beginner, and 1.5 g / kg of protein if you are an experienced exerciser).
Eat carbohydrates approximately 1.1 to 1.5g per kg, per day.
Examples of foods you can eat after a workout; dairy products, eggs, fish, carbs, meat, healthy fats.
For losing weight
No matter if you want to lose weight or gain weight, a post-workout meal is very important. In the first 30 minutes after exercise, food is much needed by the body.
Foods you eat after weight loss training should include protein and carbohydrates. This can be, for example, low-fat milk, Greek yogurts, cheese like mozzarella, fruit like apples, etc. These are great post-workout snacks. In addition to snacks, you can consume a post-workout meal, ie shake, rice, boiled potatoes, chicken breast. Be careful not to process food on oil and similar fats.
Eat 1 to 2 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight per meal for weight loss.
