What food to choose after exercising?

Choosing a good meal after exercising is key to ensuring proper muscle recovery. Otherwise, the risk of suffering a muscular injury in the next training session will increase. Therefore, we are going to teach you what are the keys in this regard.

First of all, we must place special emphasis on the need to adjust the diet in those people who perform a large amount of physical activity on a daily basis . In this way, it is possible to increase performance, in addition to promoting muscle growth.

After exercising, you should choose a protein meal

One of the elements that cannot be missing after a muscular work session is protein. This nutrient is essential to ensure tissue recovery .

According to a study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition , it may be necessary to guarantee a daily intake of 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight to maximize recovery and performance.

However, not any type of protein is valid after exercising . It is recommended to prioritize the presence of those from foods of animal origin, since they have a higher biological value. This means that they are not deficient in essential amino acids and that they have good scores in terms of digestibility.

Normally, a greater predominance of fish over meat is advised. This is because the latter may contain nitrites to improve its conservation or substances that promote inflammatory states of the organism.

Carbohydrates should not be missing from the meal after exercising

Another of the key elements in the meal after exercising is carbohydrates. These nutrients help replenish glycogen stores. If this filling is not done correctly, the risk of suffering a fiber breakage in subsequent sessions could be increased.

However, it is important that carbohydrates always appear accompanied by protein in the post-exercise meal. As evidenced by a study published in the journal Nutrients , the consumption of both nutrients together stimulates glycogen synthesis more than if only sugars are ingested in isolation.

Likewise, it is always important to prioritize those complex carbohydrates with a low glycemic index . Foods that contain them could be oats or tubers; also rice or legumes, although the latter usually cause heavy digestions.

Finally, antioxidants

Antioxidants and vitamins should not be missing from the meal after exercising. Failure to do so could jeopardize muscle recovery. These nutrients reduce inflammation and oxidation in the tissue, in addition to promoting collagen synthesis at the endogenous level. In the latter, vitamin C is decisive.

To achieve an adequate supply of micronutrients and antioxidants, the presence of vegetables is always recommended, prioritizing vegetables over fruits. Crucifers, for example, are very suitable ; also brightly colored or green leafy vegetables. All of them stand out for their phytonutrient content.

It may also be a good idea to end your post-workout meal with a fermented dairy . In this way, probiotics are provided that ensure the good health of the intestinal microbiota and a good immune function. In addition, it ends up completing the protein intake, since these nutrients are of high biological value as well.

The post-exercise meal is key

Appropriately planning food after exercising can be decisive in the sporting context. An error in this aspect could condition the performance in a future work session, in addition to increasing the risk of suffering muscular injuries.

If you follow the recommendations that we have given you, you will propose a correct option to ensure a correct contribution of nutrients. Also keep in mind that it is key to choose the cooking methods properly, seeking to prioritize those that are less aggressive such as grilling, oven, steam or cooking with water.

Finally, it may be beneficial to assess the inclusion of supplements in the recovery meal in order to achieve optimal restructuring of tissue that has been damaged by exertion.