Even if you\u2019re not starving after your workout, there are some foods that can help you recover faster and build muscle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During a workout, your body will rely on your muscles\u2019 glycogen energy stores. During strength-training workouts, some of the muscle proteins get damaged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The good news is, eating the right foods can help rebuild these glycogen stores and repair muscle proteins. They key is to know what combination of carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, and minerals to consume.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although healthy fats will help you take in the fat-soluble vitamins, the foods you eat after your workout are best determined by the type, duration, and intensity of your workout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHigher carbohydrate meals are most beneficial after endurance activities\u2014such as running or cycling\u2014lasting more than an hour,\u201d explains Vanessa Voltolina, a New York City registered dietitian. \u201cFollowing strength training, it\u2019s important to consume protein in combination with moderate carbohydrates. The ideal timing for consuming a post-workout snack is within 45 minutes, but benefits can be seen up to two hours after training.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re exercising early in the morning, eat something small before your workout to give you a bit of energy, then eat breakfast after your exercise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Be cautious to read the ingredients on packaged post-workout snacks, as many contain added sugars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although drinks with electrolytes can help replenish sodium and potassium after a workout, water should be your primary source of hydration throughout the day. Unlike professional athletes\u2014some of whom weigh themselves before and after a workout to know how much water to drink\u2014you can just look at your pee. Ideally, you want a very pale yellow to indicate that you\u2019re well hydrated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When in doubt, look for whole foods with plenty of micronutrients, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 oatmeal<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 eggs<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 nuts and nut butter<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 avocado<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 tuna or salmon<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 whole grain bread, cereals or crackers<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 tofu<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 fruit<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 quinoa<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 flax seeds<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 lean turkey or chicken<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Even if you\u2019re not starving after your workout, there are some foods that can help you recover faster and build muscle. Your muscles during a workout During a workout, your body will rely on your muscles\u2019 glycogen energy stores. During strength-training workouts, some of the muscle proteins get damaged. The good news is, eating the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13934,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[397,806],"tags":[805],"class_list":["post-13560","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fitness","category-workout-routines","tag-workout"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthymale.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13560","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthymale.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthymale.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthymale.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthymale.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13560"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthymale.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13560\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthymale.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13560"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthymale.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13560"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthymale.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13560"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}