A post workout recovery meal is important to reload fluids and nutrients lost and used during your workout. Current research recommends re-feeding within 30 to 60 minutes following a quality workout. This is when insulin sensitivity is at its highest and nutrient uptake into muscle is optimized.
A protein, carbohydrate meal with little or no fat is BEST.
Timing your snack or meal to coincide with your training will help avoid overfeeding. The quality or intensity and duration of your workout will determine how much you should eat post-workout. You want to avoid over-consuming calories based on your daily needs. This is why I like to schedule my workouts around my meal times. This way I am eating a regularly scheduled meal following a workout and the likelihood of overeating is reduced.
On the days where I am doing an intense resistance workout I make a shake with a pre-packaged workout powder. It is a quick, convenient way to rehydrate and refuel within 15 minutes of my workout. I use a product called Physique which is manufactured by Shaklee and has the optimum ratio of protein to carbohydrates supported by research.
I find that taking a nap immediately following my workout keeps me from over-eating. The longer the nap, the less I eat.
Actually, there is good evidence that taking a nap post-workout aids in muscle developments. After all, that is what the body builders do . . . of course, they eat 10 lbs of raw meat before they take their nap. Remember, it is important to replenish BEFORE you start snoozing. Therefore, keep it up!
Hi Peter, I am not sure of the amount of calories I should be taking in daily. Also on the paper that we track our daily food journal….I am not sure of the percentage of fat vs carbs vs protein. What should I be aiming for?? Tks. P