What to Eat Post Workout?

What we eat post-workout is pivotal in the fitness journey. This is something that many people overlook, and yet it is vital to not only workout regimes but also to our overall health and wellbeing. We know you want to look your best and be your healthiest, and the best thing you can do is equip yourself with an understanding – you do it with different exercises and muscles and knowing what’s what in the gym, so do it with your nutrition too for the best results. Let’s see what to eat post workout.

Your muscles use up their glycogen stores when you work out because it fuels them – the harder you go, the more they use. As a result, post-workout, they’re a bit glycogen depleted, and some proteins get broken down or damaged during your workout – don’t worry! It’s natural and actually essential for growth and progress. Naturally, after your gym session, the body starts to repair and regrow the proteins in those muscles by rebuilding the glycogen stored there. 

Eating always impacts your body, and we know that eating different things has different impacts. If you eat the right things, you can help your body replenish those stores faster. This helps your body enhance recovery by decreasing the muscle protein breakdown and increasing the muscle protein synthesis. In short, faster healing, less damage, and more growth.

So most importantly, what are those right things to eat? Protein.  

We’ve put together a list of the top things to eat after your workout to help you get started. Check out our top five and then get shopping! 

Biltong

The perfect little snack, it’s quick, easy and convenient, and needless to say, absolutely delicious. Biltong experts such as M-EAT! deliver especially nutritional based biltong. Incredibly rich in iron and sodium, it also contains magnesium and potassium, and is a wonderful source of B12, which is essential for healthy blood and nerve cells as well as successful cell replication. It’s low in carbs and fat, and has a huge amount of protein – in actual fact, a 28g serving contains 1g of carbs, 2g of fat, and 16g of protein – perfect for leaving the gym. Click here to find out more about the nutritional value of biltong. What’s a low-calorie snack that you can pack absolutely guiltless, and most importantly, enjoy to bits?

Eggs

Eggs are an absolutely ideal source of protein. First of all, it’s important to enjoy your food! Denying yourself is no good, and eggs are a firm favourite thanks to their amazing versatility. They’re fun and fast to cook, which fits into any timescale and lifestyle and makes it easy to have your high protein diet alongside your busy day to day. The versatility means you can eat eggs every day and get a totally different meal, and they go so well with everything too! Even better? One egg contains less than a gram of carbs, but at least 6g of protein, and proteins found in the yolk help decrease the risk of heart disease – ideal. 

Fish

Fish is high in omega 3, healthy fatty acids and is a brilliant source of protein. Of course, this varies with the type of fish you choose, but any choice is a good one in this category! Tuna and salmon are particularly good options, but the great thing about fish is that you can choose your personal preference and know it’s still healthy and the perfect post-workout choice. 

Chicken

The best part of any meal, chicken has such an incredible variety of choices with regards to cooking style, spicing choices, and flavour combinations, which makes it easy to eat without getting bored, and it has the added bonus of being so easy and simple to cook – unless you want a challenge, in which case it’s a great ingredient for you too. Perfect for anyone and everyone. It’s readily available anywhere, and if you can, a fresh chicken will give you the most protein. It’s full of B vitamins, the best fatty acids, antioxidants, and that all-important omega 3. Winner winner, chicken dinner. 

Greek Yogurt

If you prefer something lighter, Greek yogurt is a great option for you; half a cup of plain yogurt has 4g of carbs and 9g of protein. Preparation can be as simple as grabbing a bowl and spoon, or if you’re feeling cheeky, just pop that spoon straight into the pot! Studies show the impact of Greek yogurt can increase feelings of fullness and decrease appetite too. There’s also no need for it to be boring! You shouldn’t suffer through your food, it’s important to be healthy and happy, so add nuts, seeds or berries (or a combo!) for a high protein snack that feels like a healthy summer treat.