It is a very common question among people who train on what to eat right after a training session. In this post you will see what to eat in the post workout.
You will see that we do not necessarily need to consume supplements after training. A solid meal with good food will bring you great results too.
In this post, you will see some suggestions of what to eat in the post workout. Whether in the form of supplements or food.
Index
Supplement or food? What to eat in the post-workout
Main supplements
Carbohydrate Supplements
Protein supplements
What to eat in the post-workout: better foods
Importance of the post-workout meal
Completing
Supplements or food? What to eat in the post workout?
Many feel that they are forced to consume liquid supplements after training. However, you don’t necessarily need to do this if you have the availability to have a solid meal right after.
The use of supplements after training is a very common practice, perhaps due to fashion, or the belief that they offer better results. However, including supplements in your routine is not synonymous with a better result.
You can get the nutrients you need through food too. However, the advantage of supplements is that they are practical and easy to consume, this facilitates the routine of those who have a very busy life.
They also have an easy digestibility, for those looking for income, they can be advantageous because they allow a faster recovery.
In addition, many people do not have as much appetite after training to eat a solid meal. In this way, the intake of nutrients in liquid form facilitates consumption. Supplements can be useful in these cases.
However, having a solid meal after training will satiate you for much longer than a liquid meal.
It is perfectly possible to provide the necessary nutrients through food, and one advantage of consuming food is that you can maintain a more natural diet, with less chemical additives.
Main supplements
The most common supplements to be used after training are used for two purposes. First to replenish depleted energy stores, and second because they will act to repair muscle tissue.
Carbohydrate supplements are indicated for replenishing energy stores, and protein supplements are interesting for muscle repair.
Carbohydrate Supplements
Some examples of carbohydrate supplements are: Waxy Maize, palatinose, dextrose or maltodextrin.
After training, the ideal is to use carbohydrate supplements with faster absorption, such as maltodextrin or dextrose. Waxy Maize or palatinose, have slower and more gradual absorption, so they are more interesting before training.
Carbohydrate supplementation is interesting after long-term aerobic workouts, such as biking, running, triathlon. Which are the modalities that promote muscle glycogen depletion, which are the carbohydrate reserves in the muscle.
After strength exercises, carbohydrate replacement through supplementation is not necessary. That’s because you can wait a few hours to replace the carbohydrate, it could be taken at the next meal.
For long-term aerobic training, a quicker replacement is interesting. Because the sooner you replace this carbohydrate, the better the performance in the next training session.
Protein supplements
The main protein supplements are: whey protein, vegetarian proteins (Ex: pea protein, rice protein), isolated protein from meat and albumin from egg white.
Whey protein and vegetarian proteins are rapidly absorbed proteins. They are interesting after training, as they assist in the recovery of muscle tissue, providing a very complete amount of amino acids.
In addition, these proteins help signal protein synthesis in muscle. Therefore, post-workout supplementation with these proteins can be advantageous.
Albumin, is a type of protein supplement that also contains a very rich composition. However, it has a characteristic for having a slower absorption. So it is not the best option after training.
In addition to these, creatine and BCAA are also widely used by physical activity practitioners and athletes.
Creatine is one of the most proven supplements and has a very affordable cost. Assists in improving energy supply by improving your physical capacity during training.
In addition, creatine is especially important for those who do not consume meat, one of the main sources of creatine. There is no need to include creatine right after training. Creatine supplementation can be done at any time of the day.
BCAA supplementation, which are essential amino acids, is not very efficient, since the dosages present in the supplement can be found in the whey protein itself, or in foods.
Research shows no additional effect with BCAA supplementation. Therefore, it is not a necessary supplement after training.
The amount of supplements will vary according to your goal, modality practiced and nutritional needs of your diet.
Being able to have a higher concentration of carbohydrates or the opposite, low or no amount of carbohydrates and only the use of a protein source.
What to eat in post-workout: better foods
If you have the option of eating a solid meal after training, there are no secrets.
Choose a good source of protein and if necessary for your energy demand choose a source of carbohydrates.
Right now, consuming foods rich in fiber is not a priority, because these foods have a slow digestion speed. But if your meal has a little bit of fiber there is no problem. The same goes for fats.
As a carbohydrate source we have for example: rice, pasta, potatoes, some fruits.
As a protein source you can use for example: fish, chicken, meat and eggs.
If you are a vegetarian or vegan, combine different sources of protein so that you can consume all the essential amino acids for protein synthesis. Use for example: tempeh, quinoa, tofu, lentil or cheese (for vegetarians).
Some examples of a meal after training are:
- Macaroni with ground meat
- Shredded chicken fillet with sweet potatoes and vegetables
- Natural yogurt with fruit
- Milk vitamin with fruit
- Bread with tuna pate
- White cheese toast
- Tofu, with potatoes and vegetables
It is common for athletes to use sweets after training because they are carbohydrates with a high glycemic index acting to replenish energy stocks quickly. Especially important for those who train twice a day.
But even if it is not your case and you train once a day, it is a good time for you to occasionally consume a sweet that you like. But of course in adequate quantities for your energy needs to avoid fat gain.
Importance of the meal after training
This period right after training is a time when more caloric meals are welcome. The need for nutrients will be increased by the body to recover and cause the changes stimulated by your training.
In addition to carbohydrate consumption, protein intake is also important after training.
For most cases, you don’t have to run for a protein shake as soon as you finish your workout. However, it is not interesting to take many hours to ingest some protein.
Proteins will act in the repair of muscle tissue helping its development and growth.
It is important to remember that although the post-workout meal is important, all other meals in your day are equally important.
Meals prior to training to provide you with energy support. And all after training to assist in the recovery process after physical effort.
About 2 days after the training session your body is still adapting and recovering after this session. Therefore, all meals after the training session are important.
See also the post Find out what to eat pre, during and post-workout.
Completing
- What to eat in the post workout? You can use supplements or food. See what pleases you most and fits your routine.
- The use of supplements helps in the fast and practical supply of nutrients.
- The main supplements used as a carbohydrate source are : waxy maize, palatinose, dextrose and maltodextrin, for example.
- The main supplements used as a source of protein are: proteins derived from vegetables, milk whey protein, protein isolated from meat and albumin from of egg white
- Creatine is a supplement that can be used at any time of the day.
- The meal after training is important to help your body recover from physical effort and cause adaptations stimulated by training.
