Geschatte leestijd: 3 minutenOne of the most frequently asked questions from athletes who practice fitness: what should you eat after fitness? A very important moment to eat is indeed after your workout. This is because your body cells are open to nutrients for up to two hours after exercising. Glycogen production is significantly higher in the first two hours after your workout, allowing the right nutrients to be transported directly to the muscles. This can lead to better growth and faster recovery. In this article, you will learn what to eat after your fitness workout.
Glucose and energy
The body needs energy for the fitness workout. It mainly obtains this energy from carbohydrates, which come in several forms, namely:
Simple carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates
Multiple carbohydrates
Which food source, which form of carbohydrate, is mainly determined by its composition. When you consume a source of carbohydrates, it enters the stomach through digestion and breaks down into glucose. This glucose is then absorbed by the intestinal wall and enters the bloodstream. Glucose is also known as blood sugar. The various carbohydrates are broken down by the body in different ways: simple carbohydrates are broken down and absorbed quickly, while complex carbohydrates take longer.
Once the glucose is in the blood, there is an increase in blood sugar levels. The body sends a signal to the pancreas to produce insulin. Insulin balances blood sugar levels. The insulin then transports the glucose to the cells in the muscles and liver, where it is stored in the form of glycogen. This is a form of energy that the body can tap into when energy from food is not available.
Glycogen and training
When you train in the gym, you need a lot of energy. The glycogen stores in the liver and muscles are put to work here. The glycogen in the muscles provides immediate energy to perform the exercises, and the glycogen in the liver helps to maintain blood sugar levels.
The glycogen stores in the muscles will be depleted after an intense workout after 45 minutes. At that point, the body will start tapping into the reserves stored as fats or proteins. The burning of fats and proteins is less efficient than the burning of carbohydrates, resulting in a decrease in energy.
Food after training
To prevent the body from using proteins from the muscles as fuel, it is incredibly important to eat enough immediately after training. The muscles in the body only start building new muscle cells when they are supplied with enough glycogen. In addition, fast carbohydrates lead to a lower production of the stress hormone Cortisol. Fitness and strength training have a heavy impact on the body, causing it to produce cortisol. This hormone breaks down muscles, and with fast carbohydrates immediately after training, you largely prevent this process.
What to eat after fitness
If we divide the period after training, we come to the following distribution:
30 minutes after training
2 hours after training
4 hours after training
As mentioned, you should provide your body with fast carbohydrates within 30 minutes after training. This can be in the form of bananas, raisins, pears, berries, pasta, sweet potatoes, white rice, or dextrose. Also, make sure to consume a source of protein immediately. These are carried along with the glycogen to the cells in the muscles.
During the period of 2 hours after training, consume a more varied meal where you also combine enough proteins and carbohydrates, but in this case, add unsaturated fats. Fats are the building blocks of testosterone, the most important hormone for building muscle cells.
The food in the period of 4 hours after training depends on the time you trained. If you trained in the evening, it is bedtime by now, and you should take a casein shake before going to bed. Casein is a form of protein that is absorbed more slowly by the body, providing the body with the right nutrients throughout the night. If you trained in the morning, it’s almost time for lunch or dinner. This should be a balanced meal with enough carbohydrates, proteins, and healthy fats.
