Should I eat after exercise?
Exercises are essential for the body and what you do or eat after the sweaty session is also much important.
Most people overlook post workout recovery; however, there are a lot of things that you can do such as stretching, using the foam roller and eating.
Yes, eating!
Taking something to eat or drink after your workout helps in the recovery process, reduce soreness, replenish and rebuilding muscles ready foot the next workout.
To get results after any strength or endurance training, you need to take something after exercise.
During workouts, whether strength or resistance training, the body uses fuel and the muscles become damaged, and they will need to be repaired and also be constructed.
For this to happen, there need to be the essential raw materials that will be able to create the required metabolic environment. Therefore, what you take for your post workout matters to the body.
Many people choose to take energy bars or energy drinks, which are not really good for the body.
Although they may contain minerals, vitamins, herbs and whey, which are good for the body, they also contain caffeine and sugar which when taken they add excess calories in the body.
If you are exercising to lose weight, you should take a high protein meal and a carbohydrate after 30 – 45 minutes and if building muscles, take within 15 minutes of your workout so that you can allow the body to relax a bit.
Don’t take a meal after an hour as it slows down the metabolism rate and causes blood sugar to rise faster.
Proteins will help the muscles recover and grow, and you can eat an egg, a glass of milk, Greek yogurt or even take a nutrition shake.
Carbohydrates help it the release of insulin in the body which shuts carbohydrates and amino acids in the body, hence the protein balance becomes positive leading to repair of the muscle tissues.
A post workout shake is important the body after the workout as it contains great amounts of proteins and carbohydrates that you require in the body.
It is easily digested; hence the body gets the energy it needs fast enough, and it also takes amino acids to the muscles in the recovery process after a strenuous exercise.
The protein and carbohydrate contents in the drink rebuild the broken down muscles and enhance the growth.
The muscles hypertrophy and it makes them be able to synthesize proteins easily. It also reduces the chances of one getting injuries while working out as they help heal and rebuild muscles.
Post work shakes are very convenient and easy to carry around, and if they are taken within an hour after your workout, you will get the maximum benefits of your workout.
Taking a real meal is good, but it will take time before it is digested, broken down into proteins and taken to the muscles so taking a post workout shake is best as it only takes a few minutes to reach the muscles after it is digested in the body.
