Post Workout Foods You Should Stock up on

Post workout meals mean the same as reinforcement, ammo, and first aid mean for a soldier in the battlefield. It’s a lethal habit not to have post workout meals. In a 30 minute of exercise session, your body burns a lot of calories and muscle-tissues ask for repair. If your workout is hard, but the post workout meal is missing, you are rather "damaging your muscles". Also, if you are late in consuming your meal, you body would not be able to suck up most of it. The deadline gap is 20-50 minutes.  Most of the post workout foods are combinations of varying doses of protein, carbohydrates, and liquids. Sports nutritionists suggest high combo of protein in carbohydrates through a meal that is easily and quickly digestible so that your muscles get instant energy. Here are some of the most suggested meals for a post workout menu.  

Protein Shake with Banana

Bananas restore the levels of glycogen in your body. Glycogen is responsible for "rebuilding muscles" damaged during workout. In terms of food, you need high dose of carbohydrates; the source of glycogen. Bananas are a quick source of carbohydrates. Protein shake with bananas will be a great diet in a quick window between workout sessions. Bananas also supply potassium, which is the electrolyte responsible for maintaining muscle contractions.   

Duck for quick recovery

Duck can come for a quick recovery after a post workout session.  An average breast has little fats and approximately 30g of protein. It’s also a quick supplier of vitamin K through its coriander, anti-inflammatory amino acid glutamine in its cabbage and cholesterol-lowering alfalfa.

Hummus on a whole-grain pita

As a common and important suggestion regarding the post workout meals would be to substitute meat for alternatives from time to time. In that case, Hummus is best alternative to meat.  Have it with whole-grain pita and it’ll turn out to be a good source of protein-carbohydrate combo. Carbohydrates from pita are released slowly and gradually, which maintain energy levels during the workout.

Chocolate milk

This is perhaps the most delicious, therefore most favored, post workout energy drink. But, we aren’t talking about the common and basic choco-milk. Rather, it must be low in fats. Fats are never advisable in post workout meals. Protein-fortified and preformulated chocolate milk is the right fuel. It gives you about 48 grams of carbohydrates and 20 grams of protein; a perfect ratio of carbohydrates and protein. The best thing about it is that it comes in flavors.

Orange Juice

Instead of running after popular energy drink cans available in the stores, grab a big glass of Orange juice. It literally juices you up, really! It aids muscle contraction with a high dose of potassium in addition to vitamin C. Potassium restore its fluid levels in your body.

Spinach and egg

‘Popeye the Sailor’ wasn’t wrong about spinach.  It’s one of the most alkaline foods which supply "iron and phytoecdysteroids" for faster muscle growth. Post workout drinks are mostly about right combination of carbohydrates and protein. A spinach omelet is a good example of it.  An egg has about 6.3 grams of protein and also contains Vitamin D. Egg protein is readily utilizable and carries the highest biological value among foods.  Have some egg whites and make yourself a spinach omelet. You muscles need re-growth.

Skim milk and cereal

Replace your popular sports drink with a grain cereals and milk. It’ll give you a far better supply of protein, carbohydrates and vitamins with additionally available minerals with it. In a short rest session, it will prove to be one of the quickest fuels to digest.

Tuna

As a combination of heart -healthy omega-3 fatty acids and low fats, tuna makes a good option for a post workout meal. It’s easy to prepare and a tuna salad has the required amount of anti-oxidant. It’ll help you reduce muscle soreness and if you could add some yellow pepper for some vitamin C, then it’ll improve your blood flow by strengthening your blood vessels. Salmon, mashed potatoes and salad can also fetch you high dose of protein and anti-inflammatory omega-3’s to help rebuild your muscles.

Dried fruits and nuts

If you don’t have enough time to manage a healthy meal routine after exercise, then carry a lot of dried fruits, nuts and fruits. Dried foods give you carbohydrates, while nuts are rich in protein with healthy fats. This is perhaps the handiest way to maintain regular supply of fuel when you don’t have enough time to grab a proper cooked omelet or fry a tuna.

Choosing the right post-workout foods can go a long way in helping you achieve your fitness goals. Make sure you choose the right ones.