You’ve done the hard work – you got outside for a run, or made your way to the gym, or pushed yourself through that fitness class. Kudos! But you don’t want to waste all of that time and effort by not properly refuelling your body with the macronutrients needed to build muscle and restore energy reserves.
So what do you feed your body after a workout? The world of sports supplements is vast and complicated, so we wanted to simplify things for the people just trying to stay healthy and get the most out of their workouts.
Generally speaking, you want to ensure that you get a bolus dose of protein (minimum ~20 grams, up to 30 grams, depending on body weight) within 30 minutes of finishing your moderate-intense exercise. That being said, you also need greater protein intake ongoing (i.e. in a 24-hour period; not just right after working out) as your body continues to build muscle tissue. A minimum of 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight is required every day. Depending on the intensity of your exercise, you may want upwards of 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily.
Now, what protein type or which supplement do you purchase? Here’s a very brief overview to help you make a decision:
Finally, it is generally recommended to have some carbohydrates after a workout, in addition to protein, to help replete glucose stores that were just depleted and to spike insulin (…I know, I know, this is usually not what we want!) But when it comes to building muscle or post-exercise recovery, insulin can be helpful. It definitely depends if you just lifted heavy weights or if you ran 10km, but a relative amount of whole grains or fruit usually do the trick.
Still confused about which option is best for you? Speak with your healthcare practitioner to get a better sense of your options and exactly when, how much and how to consume your post-exercise recovery nutrients.
Dr. Colin O’Brien ND
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