Besides understanding what to eat before a workout session, you should also consider the importance of post-exercise nutrition. After exercising, your body is trying to recover from the intense physical activity which it has just undergone. This results in your body’s need to replenish the water that it has just lost. Ensuring that you hydrate well after exercise is also as important as understanding the exercise specific diet. Planning your diet according to the type of workout you’ve just completed is very important.
Running
Preparing for your post workout diet depends on the run—long distance or sprints. If you have just finished a long distance run, you should immediately fuel up with easily digestible carbohydrates. If you have just finished sprinting, you should try to increase your protein intake by consuming foods like eggs, almonds, salmon and spinach.
Yoga
Chances are your muscles are going to be rather sore after a yoga workout. In order to combat this, high protein foods are essential in your post yoga workout.
After a yoga class or cardio workout, it is important to consume some type of fibrous carbohydrates such as:
- Yam
- fruit salad
- yogurt
- brown or wild rice
- pasta salad
After weight training or yoga sculpt class, consume a proper combination of carbohydrates and proteins such as:
- steamed vegetables
- a salad
- chicken
- fish
- a protein shake with a banana
- cottage cheese with fruit
Here are some other foods that you can also eat:
- Eggs
- Greek yoghurt
- Cheese
- Tuna
- Peanut Butter
- Soy milkshakes
- Water
Weightlifting (Muscle gain objective)
Resistance workouts, as the name suggests commands a lot of effort. This is why replenishing your body with the right nutrients is very important. To help repair muscle tissue, you can consume food like whey as it is easily digested and high in protein content. To replenish glycogen (energy), you can eat carbohydrates like rice and whole grain bread.
Cardiovascular (Fat loss objective)
If your objective is to burn fat during your cardio workout, you should practice waiting an hour before eating foods rich in protein and little to no carbohydrates.
- Chicken salad with spinach
- Whey protein shake
- Tuna sandwich
- Greek yoghurt and fruits
- Nuts