Eat Right After Your Workout For A Fitter Body

By: Robert William Locke


Most people tell you that you have to have a full breakfast. It probably is true that breakfast provides a great start to your day. What about your post workout snack?

We are talking here about what could be the most important meal as regards your training.



WHAT should you eat? You want to restore the muscle glycogen that you have just lost and quickly digestible carbs are your best bet. You also need some protein to give your body the amino acids which are essential to repair your muscle tissue. So an easily digested meal made up of carbs and protein will spike your insulin levels which in turn will trundle some nutrients into those muscle cells.

Try to have a snack or meal which contains 300-500 calories. If you are female and weigh about 120lbs, then you will need 300 calories. A man who weighs 200lbs will definitely need about 500 calories. Try twice the rate of carbs to protein with a maximum of four times as many carbs as protein. You need fats too but NOT in your post workout meal – you can have those with all your other meals.

Your digestion will be slowed down by fat so best to avoid it at this time.
You do not really need any of those post workout supplements which you see in all the fitness magazines. Go for something natural. Here are some ideas:- any fruit, raisins, honey or maple syrup will all spike your insulin levels which in turn is going to restore your levels of muscle glycogen and encourage the anabolic effect which will build your muscles. For the protein bit, I usually try low fat yogurt or denatured whey protein isolate. Try a smoothie recipe for some great post workout meals
Pineapple Vanilla – This will give you 35grams of proteins, about 70 grams of carbs and has almost no fat . Calorie total is about 400. Whiz together in your blender 1 cup water, ½ cup vanilla yogurt, one cup frozen pineapples, 2 tbsp honey (preferably raw), and 30 grams vanilla whey protein powder . Delicious.

If you are committed to losing weight
you should remember that all your daily meals should be the opposite of the post workout snack. What are you eating during the day, then ? During the day, your meals have a low glycemic carbs, lots of slow release protein which is easy to digest, healthy fats and carbs which are slowly digested. That is in stark contrast to the post workout snack, where you are going for high glycemic carbs, quickly digested proteins and hardly any fat.
So, if you are really serious about getting leaner and fitter, try out the points I have mentioned above. Just think, you will be able to satisfy your sweet tooth and still not put weight on around your belly ! You will be having sweet things at the right time and they will be helping your body to repair the muscle tissue.


Robert Locke is an specialist in Health. Visit to receive your own personalized metabolic rate calculator as well as 4 secret hard-body workout routines - both FREE. Click on the Truth About Abs.