What Should I Eat After My Workout?
12. Jan, 2010 
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Though we aren’t sure of all the factors that may contribute to fatigue after a workout it is evident that muscle glycogen is depleted in the muscle following many types of workouts including both endurance and resistance training. This means that the quicker you can replenish your glycogen supplies the quicker your body can recover to be prepared for the next workout. In order to enhance glycogen synthesis and replenish your muscles after exercise you can take in carbohydrate rich foods as well as protein and possibly amino acid supplements.
Most importantly having a good diet at the outset will insure that your body has the adequate vitamins and minerals present to recover properly between workout sessions. This will enable you to put forth your best effort during each workout session leading to a better performance and better chance of fat loss.
Rehydration
Another thing to keep in mind following your workouts is rehydration. Your fluid intake after exercise should at least exceed the fluids lost during exercise. Also a drink containing the electrolytes sodium and potassium is recommended to help replenish the body. A drink that includes carbohydrates are easy to drink and will help aid in the restoration of muscle glycogen. Make sure you account for the additional Calories in your diet from your post workout drink because for fat loss goals you still want to maintain an overall negative Calorie balance.
Protein, Supplements, and Resistance Training
When it comes to protein I am not suggesting you need to take in huge amounts nor am I endorsing a overly high protein diet. As long as your overall protein intake is adequate then an additional 6-40 gm of high quality protein post workout should do the job. Protein also play a critical role in your post workout recovery, especially after resistance training. It helps in the accumulation of skeletal muscle protein for proper repair and growth of the muscle tissue. You absolutely want to maintain a positive protein balance in your overall diet and especially after workouts. Positive protein balance simply means that you are taking in more protein each day than your body is expending for energy and the rebuilding of muscle tissue. Most proteins are rich in glutamic acid which will enhance post workout glycogen restoration. You can get your proteins preferalby from foods (meat, eggs, and milk) but also from whey, casin, or egg based protein supplements. The one protein supplement to avoid might be collagen. I don’t believe there are many pure collagen protein supplements still available in the market, but some supplement manufactures may use them as a cheap filler in existing protein supplements. Be sure to read your labels to avoid this ingredient. You can add Amino Acid’s (AA) but many protien supplements include extra amino acids anyway.
Avoiding Supplements
milk is a readily available post workout food
It is important to emphasize that what you ingest after a workout does not always require expensive supplements. I personally try to stick by natural foods when possible and some individuals may encounter a situation that does not allow, or frowns upon, certain supplements. One research paper by Ryan Johnson, MEd, CSCS observed that a good post workout meal consisted of something as simple as a box of chocolate milk or a peanut butter and jelly sandwhich. Both of these pure food alternatives contained about the right ratio of protein to carbs and are readily available.
Conclusion
Remember that when it comes to post workout nutrition you should have a mix of carbs and protein. More importantly though than what you eat, your post workout drink or meal should be delivered to the body quickly after your workout.
References:
Ryan Johnson, MEd, CSCS (2008). Post-Workout Nutrition for the High School Athlete. Strength and Conditioning Journal, Volume 30 Number 4
G. Damon Wells, MS (2009). The Post-Workout Protien Puzzle: Which Protien Packs the Most Punch. Strength and Conditioning Journal, Volume 31 Number 1
About the Author:
Dillon Martin is a fitness professional and certified trainer with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. He graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelors Degree in Kinesiology. He created ExerciseUpdate in 2009 to give people quality information on workouts, nutrition, and motiavtion. He specializes in helping people train for and compete in endurance events such as 5K, 10K, Half-Marathons, Marathons, and Triathlons. You can find out more or contact him at www.dmfitness.com
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It’s pretty awesome having nutrition as my life. I always tell people when they ask me what kind of supplements to take. Start with the basics and get some whey protein as a body building supplement then if you want, try an EFA stack for weight loss. As always throw in a multivitamin.