Post-workout nutrition is very important if we want to take our performance to the top. Even so, it is not as important as if you train twice a day. We’re not saying it’s not something to consider, but in most cases if you’re not on a very long fast, if your diet generally meets your requirements, and you only train once a day and your training isn’t particularly intense or long, no emphasis needed.
Although there are quite a few variables that we have to take into account in our post-workout diet (in this case, dinner), the most important thing is that it contains a good amount of carbohydrates and protein. Really, this meal is just one more meal, but let’s see what you can eat to get the most out of your recovery.
What happens when we train
When we train we provoke certain changes in microfibril integrity, the structures that make up the muscles. These changes increase the breakdown of proteins in our muscles, which is why athletes need more protein than other people.
Another process that occurs during training is the reduction or depletion of glycogen stores. Glycogen is a carbohydrate made up of thousands of glucose units linked together. This carbohydrate is very important because it provides us with most of the energy we use during training.
What and how much is more important than when, that is, respecting the total amount of macro and micronutrients you need and their quality is more important; the time of day is less important, although a high protein intake post-workout is not bad advice.
These are the five keys that you should keep in mind
amount of carbohydrates
Glycogen depletion is something that happens when we train intensely, be it running, strength training, etc. It is true that unless the training is strenuous, it is very difficult for there to be a complete depletion of this. Even so, it is important that we include a generous amount of carbohydrates at dinner if it is our post-workout diet.
For a good recovery, an optimal amount would be between 1.5 to 2 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight per day. Therefore, a person weighing 80 kg would have to consume between 120 and 160 grams of carbohydrates. LCarbohydrates, preferably have to be complex such as brown rice, whole wheat pasta, legumes, etc., but there would be no problem in including simple carbohydrate sources such as fruits that, as we will see later, It is a very important source of nutrients for our recovery.
Amount of protein to consume
As previously mentioned, athletes have higher protein needs than sedentary peopleSo if we want to maximize our muscle protein synthesis, we’ll need to include a high amount of protein at dinner.
with high amount we do not mean that we have to include more than 0.4 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, so if you weigh 175 pounds, it doesn’t make sense to include more than 32 grams of protein in that meal.
Contrary to what is believed, it does not matter if that protein is of animal or vegetable origin. The fact that, for example, legumes do not contain a certain amount of amino acids, does not make them of poorer quality, since throughout the day, through other foods, you will have ingested that amount of amino acids that legumes are deficient in.
fluid intake
One of the factors to take into account in an athlete is hydration. Although during training it is an essential requirement in order to take our training to the maximum, Post-workout hydration is crucial for good recovery.
It is usually recommended to consume around 500 ml before training, between 100 and 150 ml every 10 min during training and others. 500 ml after training. At dinner we must include foods that have a large amount of water such as vegetables in the form of salad or gazpacho if we are not very hungry or fruit or fruit juice, which contains a large amount of water.
electrolyte replenishment
With sweat, not only liquid is lost, but also electrolytes such as sodium or potassium. For proper hydrationwe not only have to look at the water we drink, but also in which we are able to retain after training.
The foods that are richest in minerals are plant-based foods such as vegetables and fruits, whole grains, etc. If we include some salt, which is sodium chloride, we will have a mix to replenish chlorine and sodiumtwo of the most important electrolytes that are lost during training.
Intake of vitamins and phytonutrients
One of the great myths in the world of fitness is that consuming vitamins and phytonutrients after training generated a response contrary to what we want to achieve after training, which is to adapt to the stimulus and make our muscles grow.
Although it is true that consuming high amounts of vitamin C (in supplement form) reduces these adaptations, the truth is that it does not occur when it comes from food. In addition, not only do they not reduce the adaptations produced by training, but they also improve our recovery so that the next day we can perform our training intensely and improve even more.
Therefore, At dinner time as a post-workout meal, don’t hesitate to include foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, etc. In short, foods of plant origin, which will improve your body’s ability to recover from hard training.
In Vitónica | An easy routine to recover well after training
In Vitónica | Five strategies to better recover from your training
Pictures | iStock, Pexels, Pixabay