{"id":3748,"date":"2025-03-14T04:22:25","date_gmt":"2025-03-14T04:22:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/what-are-the-best-foods-to-eat-post-workout.html"},"modified":"2025-03-14T04:22:25","modified_gmt":"2025-03-14T04:22:25","slug":"what-are-the-best-foods-to-eat-post-workout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/health\/what-are-the-best-foods-to-eat-post-workout.html","title":{"rendered":"What Are the Best Foods to Eat Post-Workout?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>You know you need to fuel up properly before you work out, but post-exercise nutrition is also important.<\/p>\n<p>What you eat after a workout can help replenish your body and improve recovery after a workout session \u2014 and depending on the intensity of your workout, if you skip out on a post-workout snack altogether, you may be missing out on a chance to boost the protein synthesis that plays a key role in muscle repair and growth.<\/p>\n<p>So what are the best foods to eat after a workout? These six tips can help you make the most of that post-workout window.<\/p>\n<h2>1. Consider Your Workout Intensity and Duration<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p>What \u2014 and when \u2014 you eat after your workout depends on what you\u2019re doing and how long you\u2019re doing it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis decision will be based on how quickly you need recovery to happen,\u201d says\u00a0Marisa Michael, R.D.N., CPT, specialist in sports dietetics and nutrition. \u201cBut most people will be in good shape having a meal within an hour or two after most types of exercising,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re an elite athlete doing multiple workouts in a day, however, you may want to refuel immediately after a workout.<\/p>\n<p>And if you\u2019re doing a particularly long or intense workout, you may want to prioritize eating within 30 minutes after your workout, says\u00a0Shena Jaramillo, R.D.<\/p>\n<h2>2. Mix Protein and Carbs<\/h2>\n<p>When planning your\u00a0post-workout meal, aim for about 20 to 30 grams of high-quality protein to help muscle recovery and 30 to 40 grams of carbohydrates to replace glycogen stores, Michael recommends.<\/p>\n<p>Need ideas? A few options that feature healthy whole foods include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A smoothie with protein powder, paired with a turkey veggie wrap<\/li>\n<li>A quinoa bowl with veggies and chicken<\/li>\n<li>A peanut butter sandwich and chocolate milk<\/li>\n<li>A chicken salad with zucchini and edamame and a side of toasted whole-grain bread<\/li>\n<li>A salmon bowl with sweet potatoes and asparagus<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For a lighter snack, Jaramillo recommends tuna and crackers, a banana with Greek yogurt, or a protein shake.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cProtein shakes can be an easy way to meet your hydration and nutrition needs post-workout,\u201d Jaramillo says.<\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-169232\" src=\"https:\/\/bod-blog-assets.prod.cd.beachbodyondemand.com\/bod-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/19120404\/when-is-the-best-time-to-drink-a-protein-shake-600-recover.png\" alt=\"Chocolate Whey Recover | When Is the Best Time to Drink a Protein Shake\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p>Another easy way to get the protein you need post-workout: Try\u00a0Beachbody Performance Recover, which provides 20 grams of protein along with pomegranate extract and branched-chain amino acids to support recovery after an intense workout.*<\/p>\n<h2>3. Don\u2019t Skip Eating<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cSkipping a meal and waiting several hours after working out to eat is the worst strategy,\u201d Michael warns. \u201cIf you do that, you won\u2019t restore glycogen to your muscles and get the useful carbs and protein you need for recovery.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>4. Nix Alcohol and High-Fat Foods<\/h2>\n<p>Maybe you\u2019ve run a 5K where a post-race beer was part of the festivities, but in general, alcohol shouldn\u2019t be part of your post-workout plan, as it may inhibit your training gains and\u00a0recovery process, Michael says.<\/p>\n<p>Also, skip snacks that are high in saturated fat and low in nutrient density. A snack that includes some healthy fats \u2014 like avocado slices \u2014 is fine after a workout, but anything too greasy could make you feel bloated.<\/p>\n<h2>5. Eat Healthy All Day Long<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-130852\" src=\"https:\/\/bod-blog-assets.prod.cd.beachbodyondemand.com\/bod-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Best-Food-to-Eat-After-a-Workout.600.jpg\" alt=\"Quinoa chicken veggie bowl\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t limit your healthy eating habits to your post-workout meals and snacks. Be sure to eat balanced meals and nutrient-dense snacks at regular intervals throughout the day as well, Michael says.<\/p>\n<p>And if you\u2019re doing intense exercise, she suggests increasing your carb intake throughout the day.<\/p>\n<h2>6. Remember to Rehydrate<\/h2>\n<p>Along with getting the right mix of nutrients, make sure you\u2019re on track with your hydration, no matter what type of workout you\u2019ve done.<\/p>\n<p>Even low-impact or slower exercise sessions like a yoga class should include rehydrating afterward.<\/p>\n<p>To stay hydrated throughout your workout, try\u00a0Beachbody Performance Hydrate, which is specially formulated to provide an optimal balance of carbohydrates, electrolytes, and water.<\/p>\n<p>Bottom line? Think of post-workout nutrition as part of your overall\u00a0fitness strategy\u00a0\u2014 not just an optional step \u2014 and it can help you see the results you want faster.<\/p>\n<p>*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You know you need to fuel up properly before you work out, but post-exercise nutrition is also important. What you eat after a workout can help replenish your body and improve recovery after a workout session \u2014 and depending on the intensity of your workout, if you skip out on a post-workout snack altogether, you [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3749,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3748","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"blocksy_meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3748","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3748"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3748\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3749"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3748"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3748"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3748"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}