Did you know that one of the most important “snacks” of your day is what you eat right after your workout? That’s why, in this week’s blog, our San Jose personal trainers are going to go over a few tips to help you make the most of your post-workout snack.
Why Your Post-Workout Meal Choice Matters
What you eat right after you exercise can have a pretty big impact on your results, since it helps your body do three important jobs: replenish, rebuild, and rehydrate. Your body is smart and resourceful. So this process can be really simple if you follow our San Jose personal trainers’ tips to make sure you get the most out of your post workout “refeed.”
Plan Ahead
Choose your snack BEFORE you start your workout and make sure you have it handy! One study showed that if you wait until after your workouts, you might not make the healthiest choices.
Scientists at the University of Nebraska had study participants choose between an apple and brownie for their post-workout snack. BEFORE their workout, they were about 33% more likely to choose the apple than if they choose after their workout!
Bottom line: Don’t leave it up to chance. Choose your snack before!
Eat Shortly After
Here’s a good rule of thumb: try to eat something within 45 minutes of finishing your workout. Your body’s ability to rebuild its glycogen stores (basically, what your muscles use for fuel) as well as protein is higher during that period. Waiting longer can slow down that process.
Choose the Right Foods for the Right Workout
Here’s a third key. Your snack doesn’t have to be huge, but after more intense bouts of exercise, it should contain both carbs and protein. If you want to get really fancy, you can aim for 2:1 ratio of carbs to protein (so if your snack has 30 grams of carbs, you’d want 15 grams of protein). Here are a few snack ideas that you can pack up and bring with you to your workout:
- Post-workout smoothie with your favorite milk, fruit and protein powder.
- Turkey on a sprouted-grain wrap with veggies.
- Greek yogurt with berries.
Considering the tips we’ve laid out above, what would you choose for your post-workout snack? Let us know in the comments below 🙂
Stronger for Today,
The Method3 Fitness Team
If you found this blog useful, be sure to LIKE, LEAVE A COMMENT, and SHARE it on your favorite channel!
The Method3 Fitness blog is updated weekly. All content is designed to improve the way you move, eat, and think so you can achieve your goals and live stronger for today. Check back here each week and LIKE our Fan Page, to stay up to date on the latest tips, strategies and methods to get fit, lose fat, and build confidence. Ready to get started with us? Click here to get a free week of workouts!