Why Post-Training Nutrition is Essential
What you eat post-training can impact both body and mind.
“What do I eat post-training?”
A question typically asked when I speak to morning exercises who predominantly train in a ‘fasted state’, meaning that, other than their meal the night before, nothing further was eaten until after they finished training that morning. However, with many of us now working from home more than ever, and exercise times varying throughout the day, people are keen to know what to eat and when. This can also profoundly impact how we perform both physically and mentally.
In attempt to simplify it I’ll break it down into Post-Training Eating Times and What to Eat Post-Training, in order to benefit muscle protein synthesis and fitness endurance levels. The benefits of timing your meals, and eating quality food include: increased lean muscle and avoiding muscle protein breakdown, increasing fitness level, consistency of blood sugar and insulin levels (avoids 3pm sugar crash!), and generally beneficial to enzymes and hormones depending on the type of the food ingested.
Post-Training Eating Times
1) Fasted training requires an intake of quality carbs and protein (generally 25-30g) within 30 minutes of training, in order to maximise gains from your workout. This “ 30 minute window of opportunity” also applies to people who might train before lunch or after work, where the previous meal was finished 4–6 hours prior to commencing exercise.
2) On the other hand, if you’ve had a meal within 1-2 hours prior to training to increase performance, this fuel will keep you going and it is then recommended you eat 1-2 hours post-training.
3) Of course, as always, the above protocols depend on a few factors such as meal size, composition and quality, and how the individual is feeling pre, during and post exercise.
What to Eat Post-Training
Generally, a good quality combination of carbohydrate and protein, with an emphasis on protein. The more nutrient-dense our food is (i.e. fruits, vegetables, wholegrains), the lower the risk of developing cognitive dysfunction, depression, and anxiety. Following are some post-training meals to try.
Greek yogurt with fruit
Banana + peanut butter on bread/crackers/bagels
Oatmeal and berries
Nuts
Tuna sandwich
White Rice, Pasta, Bread, Potatoes
Fresh or dried fruit
Meat/fish with: rice, potatoes, pasta, bread, quinoa
Fruit and nuts/nut butter
Eggs on toast
Dark leafy greens
Carrots
Broccoli
Beans/legumes with toast/quinoa/rice + vegetables
And always look to water as your first choice for hydration!
For further details on how to get your personalised pre-training and post-training nutrition plan for busy athletes, visit www.execfuel.com.au or email karen@execfuel.com.au.
