Melis Campbell
After the fitness unit, some have a particularly large appetite. Others, on the other hand, do not want to eat anything at first. What should you consider when eating after exercise? Should you eat something immediately after training – or rather not? And if so, what should you watch out for?
What food is suitable after exercise can vary greatly from person to person and depends, among other things, on
- what kind of sport do you practice
- how intense the training is
- what goals you are pursuing with the training (e.g. muscle building),
- whether to train for a competition and/or
- how old you are.
Still, some general principles apply to everyone.
Should you eat before or after exercise?
Eating is generally allowed, or even important, both before and after exercise. However, it depends on what and when exactly you eat. If you carry out your sports units on an empty stomach, you are threatened with a drop in performance. It can therefore make sense to eat a little something before exercising. A banana, a muesli bar, or low-fat yogurt are suitable, for example.
However, it is best not to eat such snacks immediately before exercising, but about an hour beforehand. Larger meals, on the other hand, should be avoided. The last main meal should be at least two hours before you start exercising.
Eating after exercise is not only allowed, it is even recommended. Many believe that if they do not eat anything after exercising, they will increase the training or weight loss effect of the fitness program. However, this is not advisable, because the body needs a lot of energy after training. On the one hand, he has to regenerate himself from the effort. On the other hand, he can only build muscle mass if he is supplied with the necessary energy.
What should you eat after exercising?
After exercise, most people grab a drink first. That’s a good thing: During physical activity, people lose a lot of water and electrolytes. It is important to compensate for this deficiency, for example with a spritzer made from mineral water and fruit juice. Mineral water contains minerals such as sodium and calcium. Juice supplies the body with potassium and magnesium.
But eating after a workout is also important. Muscles use up a lot of energy during physical activity. Anyone who has trained intensively and for a long time should replenish their energy stores. This works best with carbohydrates. They contain sugar, which is stored in the muscles in the form of glycogen.
Proteins are also important. They ensure that the muscles regenerate and new muscle tissue builds up. At the same time, they prevent the body from drawing energy from the muscles and breaking it down.
How high the carbohydrate and protein content of the meal should depend, among other things, on the type of activity: after weight training, for example, proteins play a greater role than after running training. It is often recommended to have the meal up to half an hour after training.
Which dinner is suitable after the fitness program?
After fitness training, the meal – such as dinner – should consist primarily of proteins and carbohydrates. A lot of protein can be found in low-fat quark, eggs, or Greek yogurt. When it comes to carbohydrates, you can use potatoes, rice, wholemeal bread, or pasta. Carbohydrates in the form of sweets are not recommended.
Suitable for eating after exercise is, for example, meals such as,
- baked potatoes with quark,
- yogurt with fresh fruit,
- Muesli or one
- Low-fat pizza with vegetables.
