
Eating the right foods improves our energy, our exercise performance and our body’s ability to recover, adapt and get fitter from our workouts. The size of our pre-workout snack depends on the duration and intensity of our exercise session.
Generally, for cardiovascular workout lasting more than an hour, one should take in a 300- 400 calorie snack. However, a lighter work out requires only about 200 calories.
It is important to eat both carbs and protein after working out.
Consuming 0.5-0.7 grams of carbs (1.1-1.5 grams/kg) of body weight within 30 minutes after training results in proper glycogen resynthesis.
It is suggested that one should consume 0.14-0.23 grams of protein per pound of body weight (0.3-0.5 grams/kg) after a workout.
This combination will help us rebuild our muscle proteins and glycogen stores and also help in stimulating the growth of new muscle.
Here is a list of combination of foods including carbohydrates, proteins and fats:
- Quinoa and oats
- Smoothies
- Sprouts and legumes
- Avocado or nuts like almonds and walnuts
- Grilled chicken with roasted vegetables
- Egg omelet with avocado spread on wholegrain toast
- Salmon with sweet potato
- Tuna salad sandwich on whole-grain bread
- Pita and hummus
- Yogurt, fruits and green vegetables
- Protein shake and banana
- Wholegrain bread with nut butter spread
Post-workout meal matters. Generally, one should eat within 45 minutes of finishing exercise routine because our body’s ability to rebuild glycogen and protein increases after the workout.