Post Training Snacks

Eating well before you train is logical enough because what you eat will have a direct impact on your energy and performance. Unfortunately though, lots of people don’t pay any attention to what they eat after their workouts, and may even refuse to eat at this time for fear of replacing the calories they just burned.

Research shows that eating a healthy snack within 30 minutes of finishing a training session can promote recovery as the body assimilates protein and carbohydrate more effectively at this time.  Carbohydrates refuel the body’s energy and contribute to the muscle repair activity of protein. Fruit, grain products, and milk and alternatives are all good sources of carbohydrates. As for proteins, they are used in the repair and regeneration of muscle by creating new muscle tissue. Proteins are generally found in meat and milk and the alternatives of both. Eating after training also alleviates post training fatigue, provides energy for the rest of the day, and enhances performance when training the next day.

This snack is strongly recommended for those persons who train regularly and at high intensity for more than 60 minutes and who plan on training again in less than 24 hours. It is also recommended for those who won’t be eating a meal within two hours of training.

A basic recommendation in sports nutrition is a snack providing 10 g of protein and 30 g of carbohydrate for a training session that lasts more than 60 minutes. This recommendation can vary though depending on a person’s goal (weight loss, muscle gain, endurance) and body weight. By consulting a nutritionist, you will know exactly what your post training requirements are. She or he will calculate the amount of carbohydrate and protein YOU require personally and will provide suggestions for snacks that are adapted to your lifestyle.

The best way not to forget your post training snack is to find one that works for you, meaning one that you enjoy and is easy to prepare. Here are a few suggestions for snacks that are easy to take to the gym and eat quickly after training.

✓Low fat cheese and whole grain crackers
✓ Frozen berries and Greek yogurt OR cottage cheese
✓ Mixed nuts and dried fruit
✓ Individual portion of soy milk and fruit
✓ Lait’s Go Sport
✓ Smoothie: like my recette pot maçon post entrainement
✓ Zero Diet post training bar

Alyssa Fontaine, P.Dt.

Post Training Snacks is a post from Nautilus Plus. The Nautilus Plus blog aims to help people in their journey to fitness through articles on training, nutrition, motivation, exercise and healthy recipes.
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