Should I eat dinner after working out? YES!
Considering that training is a stress for the body and that we spend a lot of energy in the process of working out, even after training, it is very important that we feed our body with nutrients that will accelerate the recovery of muscles.
However, the answer to the question “What should I eat after training?” is not as simple and straightforward, it depends on many factors.
The first and basic is the total number of calories that a person should consume during the day, which also depends on several things. First of all, the basal metabolism (the smallest energy consumption necessary to maintain the vital processes of the organism), then the body build of the person working out (muscle mass and fat tissue), and finally the types of activities during one day, week, the habits, etc.
So – what should I eat after working out?
When you determine your the daily caloric needs (there are calculators on the Internet, which are not 100% reliable but can serve the purpose), you should determine from which foods you actually consume these calories. The ratio of macronutrients is of key because this is what will affect your body composition, i.e. the relationship between muscle and fat. Of course, it is not the same if a person consumes 1600kcal from junk food and 1600kcal from healthy food. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the share of macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates and fats) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals), which will accelerate recovery and affect muscle building.
What you need to know is that a post-training meal should contain proteins and carbohydrates (fat can be left for another meal because it slows digestion), thus the best sources for a post-workout meal are:
– Proteins: whey protein, non-fat meat, egg whites
– Carbohydrates: cornflakes, oat flakes, rice, berries
For example, after working out I usually eat cornflakes (or oat flakes) with whey protein, raspberries and water.
However, even this information is not complete, as no quantities are defined. Here again, we return to the paragraphs above, to the step in which we determined the total daily intake of nutrients.
If you are not interested in getting into so much into detail when deciding what to eat after training, then it is enough to know that the ideal meal should consist of rice / potatoes and chicken / turkey / fish.
If you train regularly, follow the instructions for proper food intake and remove any sweets, pastries and juices from your menu and the results will certainly come.
