The vast majority of us workout in order to either lose or maintain our weight. We've discussed in the past that calories in vs. calories out is the bottom line in weight loss! So, eating a meal immediately after a workout might seem counterproductive, but assure it's just the opposite! Your post-workout meal is super important for providing what your body needs for muscle-repair and replenishing lost nutrients!
The first thing to know is WHEN to eat. Consume your post-exercise snack within an hour of finishing up your workout, ideally within 30 minutes! This assures that the calories will be broken down and used for refueling as opposed to being stored away as fat!
And next; WHAT to eat. Although there is definitely debate over the PERFECT balance of carbs/proteins/fats, I recommend shooting for the following ratio (approximately):
60% carbs 30% protein 10% fat (or less)
Carbs: The idea of carbohydrates makes people who want to lose weight freak out. However, carbs are ESSENTIAL for normal and efficient body function! Remember: fruit are carbs too and are a GREAT choice for your post-workout snack!
Protein: This part of your meal is responsible for ending the process of breaking down muscle tissue to use as energy and switching to muscle repair mode. The fastest digesting protein is Whey Protein, thus the popularity of the "post-workout-shake". The faster your snack digests, the less muscle tissue your body breaks down, and the quicker you begin the recovery journey!
Fat: to be honest, fat doesn't play much of a role in the refueling process, so try to limit the fat in your food choices as much as possible! Keep it below 15%!!
Examples:
- fruit, whey protein, ice, milk smoothie
- fruit, yogurt, ice smoothie
- granola, fruit, yogurt parfait
- milk & cereal
- almond butter & honey sandwich on whole wheat
- egg whites, black beans, on a wheat or corn tortilla
- protein bar
- tuna sandwich on whole wheat
- veggies, crackers, & hummus
*Remember* Don't be afraid of calories after a workout! If you know the approximate # of calories you burned during your workout, shoot for a meal composed of about 1/2 that number of cals! If you burn 600ish, 300ish calories is safe! Eating after exercise will NOT sabotage your weight-loss efforts! If you do it right, it will actually HELP!
-Peace. Health. RoxyB!!
1 comments:
Girrlll..you know how I like that hummus..j/k. I'm going to have to make your fruit/spinach smoothie though..that thing was good!
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