After a workout.

[StormBerlin]

So after a workout, I get really hungry. I know that's a good thing because it means my body was working, but my question is what is the best thing to eat after my workout? I usually crave steak or something equally meaty Is that a good idea? Right now, I'm chowin down on some peaches, but it's not doin much. Any tips?

[JStrider]

well after the workout its usually good to drink a lot... and eat protien and carbohydrates to replenish your energy

im a fan of hard or soft boiled eggs... lotsa protien... and yum..


usually after a workout im not hungry for an hour or 2... then I get starving all of a sudden

[Lunchbox7]

If you eat in the first 30 minutes after excercise it takes your body only a couple of hours to replenish your energy stores. But if you dont eat that soon it can take up to 48 hours

[apeman]

ah that would explain why I'm tired most of the time ... I shall try eating sooner.

[Fearless_Hyena]

Eat a can of tuna. My favorite food after a workout is tuna with Red Hot hot sauce

[Phaenx]

That's normal. When you're working out you have a period where your muscles immediately try to fix themselves and replenish strength and then you have an ongoing healing for a couple days. It's important you give them what they want to rebuild. Protein.

Probably why you crave steak and such. Studies I've seen show that eating right after lifting is necessary, and that there is no real impact after cardio. I've heard that you aren't supposed to eat for an hour after cardio, but the evidence I've seen says otherwise. So go ahead and eat.

[stevie667]

you'll want to take in a good amount of protein and carbs after exercise, preferably before an hour passes (as this is when your body is most receptive to nutrient uptake).
a good couple of litres of water is always appreciated by ones body, helping in inumberable ways.

after a workout, try to mix between low glycemic foods such as fruit, and higher glycemic foods such as breads, sugar stuffs e.t.c, along with, of course, a nice bit of protein.

[exizldelfuego]

One of the more satisfying things I've eaten after a workout is an open-faced sandwich of sorts. Nice wheat bread, peanut butter, strawberry pulp and honey.
The strawberry pulp is something I picked up from my grandmother. When strawberry season hits out here (WA), we buy several flats of strawberries, wash them, and then mash them like you would if you were making mashed potatoes. Then they can be frozen. Seriously some of the best stuff in the world... but that might be more appropriate in Tilted Cooking.

[Cross-Over]

I took a nutrition class two semesters ago.
HerThe following information comes from the book, "Nutrition Concepts and Controversies 9th Ed" by Frances Sizer and Eleanor Whitney.

"For athletes wishing to maximize muscle glycogen synthesis after strenuous training, however, eating foods with a high gycemic index may help restore glycogen more rapidly"

Essentially, that says eating certain types of food after major exercise may improve results.

Here is a list of foods that have a high glycemic index:
Cornflakes, "Cheerios", "Rice Krispies" cereals
French, white, and whole-meal breads (soft textured"
Sticky rice, medium grain (brown or white"
Waffle
Mashed potatoes
Watermellon
Honey, jelly beans, "Life savers" and "skittles" candies, sugar -sweetned sfot drinks

For comparison purposes, here is a list of foods that has a low glycemic index:
Long grain rice
Bran cereals, whole oats
Pasta
Whole grained bread (heavy textured)
Baked beans, soybeans
Apple, apple juice, carrot, orange, peach
Milk, yougurt
"Snickers" candy bar, "M&Ms" candy and "Dove" chocolate bar

[Gimli]

So there you have it! Skittles and jelly beans after a workout. And a waffle.

[EleqTrizi'T]

There are a couple of body builder doods in my gym that have a sandwich in their locker!! Talking about eating immediately after a workout. Kinda gross to me, I wouldn't want to eat a sandwich next to some doods ass hahaha.

[Forever]

But you can't have butter with your waffle, because it'll make it a lower glycemic index food. Syrup is ok.

That's just funny.

[Wax_off]

A friend of mine drinks a can of Ensure. You know, the nutrition drink for old people. He claims that it has all the stuff your body needs to replenish itself. Haven't tried it myself, but it kinda makes sense.

[supafly]

I mostly eat a cheese sandwitch, not to much cheese and butter though or a sandwitch with a boiled egg. I drink some milk, syrup or a protaine shake.

[Gimli]

I just want to remind you:

After a workout -

Skittles

Jelly Beans

Waffles.

No butter!

Or... Just work out before a good dinner!





Of Skittles...


G

[giantpizzaman]

Originally posted by apeman
ah that would explain why I'm tired most of the time ... I shall try eating sooner.

lol i find that so funny hahahaha

[limey]

Protein Protein Protein after a workout. And what Phaenx said - Protein. This is what your musles are craqving to repair and rebuild. Carbs aren't that important immediatly after as you will get them during your next regular day of eating.

[limey]

By the way - my typing sucks.

[MAZIVKAROLY]

Do that eating thing as soon after work out as you can. It does really make a difference. After 30 some years of working out, I do know/experience that it's a good timing.

[woOt?]

You should get some carbs in your system to stop your body from tearing down your muscle protein. Just eat a banana!

[ibis]

Originally posted by woOt?
You should get some carbs in your system to stop your body from tearing down your muscle protein. Just eat a banana!

I'm no nutrition expert, but that doesn't make sense. If your body needs carbs, why's it breaking down your muscles for protien?

[Yakk]

Originally posted by ibis
I'm no nutrition expert, but that doesn't make sense. If your body needs carbs, why's it breaking down your muscles for protien?

Your body is a boichemical factory. It can get energy from almost anything you eat. It reacts to them differently. If it needs energy badly, it will grab whatever is availiable.

Carbs are easy to turn into energy, and have no other use to the body, so it grabs those first.

(I am not a nutritionist, but my mother teaches this stuff. I am not quoting anything, just explaining how I understood it.)

[cait987]

I didn't read the entire thread but this sums it up: After working out have a high Glycogen index Carbohyrdate + a quick digesting protein (yes some proteins digest faster then others)

Pretty much the reason is this: After a workout your muscles glycogen is depleted and overall muscles have priority over adipose tissue in terms of priority for nutrients. So, you have a high GI food (maltodextrin and dextrose are best) and a quick digesting protein (whey protein digests faster then any other protein but if you cant get that chicken and egg whites are next fastest)

What happens now is your body reacts with a massive insulin spike which normally would be bad, however, since almost all the nutrients go straight to the muscles the insulin spike is acctaully necesary to promote protein synthesis (recreation of muscles) and in the end is best even if most of the time we preach that high GI foods are the devil.

So don't let anyone tell you not to eat a high GI carb pwo, that is the only time that they are necesary other then that stay with oats and other low GI foods

The biggest issue with most whole foods PWO ex. Oatmeal etc, is the fat, even a couple of grams of fat can slow digestion and you can miss the deadline to promote the most muscle gain. The only real PWO carb you can consume that is fat free is solid sugar ex. dextrose and maltodextrin and since they are also the highest GI food possible thats a good thing

Protein + fat PWO = bad
Protein + high GI carb PWO = good
Protein = ok, but with no insulin its rather pointless since protein cant move on its own very well ;p
Protein + low GI carb PWO = debatable, some people say they make better gains eating a low GI carb but for the most part its agreeable that high GI is best

(Ill track down some studies that back up all the facts I crammed in here in a few mins gotta do a few things though)

EDIT: Chi_town knows his stuff and I just wrote a brief summary if you want the entire scientific outlook on the matter go here:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hreadid=231345