After an intense workout, your body needs the right nutrients to recover, repair, and refuel. Choosing the best post-workout drink is crucial, especially when trying to lose weight. This article explores various options, from simple water to protein-packed smoothies, to help you make an informed decision.
The Importance of Post-Workout Nutrition
Replenishing nutrients following a workout is essential for helping our bodies recover, repair and refuel. Consuming the right nutrients after exercise can help you optimize your fitness goals. During exercise, your muscles use up their glycogen, which is the body’s preferred fuel source. This results in your muscles being partially depleted of glycogen. Some of the proteins in your muscles can also be broken down and damaged during exercise. After your workout, your body rebuilds glycogen stores and regrows those muscle proteins. However, research suggests that eating the right nutrients soon after exercising can help your body do this faster. Properly fuelling your body after exercise can also help:
- Decrease muscle protein breakdown
- Increase muscle protein synthesis (growth)
- Improve your mood
- Enhance recovery
Hydration: The Foundation of Recovery
Water
Your post-workout recovery drink, however, doesn’t necessarily have to be an expensive, pre-bottled muscle milk/shake/smoothie or a self-mixed supplement powder drink. That’s right, water. It’s usually plentiful at the gym or in the home, making it the first source of rehydration as soon as you’ve finished your workout. Hydrating before, during, and after exercise is a no-brainer, but what you hydrate with is the question. Unless you are an athlete performing a strenuous workout for an hour or longer, water or another calorie-free beverage is your best choice for replacing lost fluids. For every pound of water weight lost in a workout, replace it with 16-20 ounces of water. While water has no calories, it also has no proteins or carbohydrates. Tracking Tip: Track your water and fluid intake in the MyNetDiary app by simply tapping on the Dashboard's water glasses.
Electrolyte-Rich Drinks
For those engaging in vigorous exercise for 60 minutes or longer, electrolyte-replacement drinks may help replenish your stores of sodium and potassium. There are plenty of low-calorie sports drinks available. Make sure to check out the calories and serving size on the label. For example, it may appear to be a calorie bargain at 50 calories per serving, only to find out a bottle contains 3 1/2 servings. If you need a little flavor, add a lemon or lime wedge, cucumber, or other favorite fruit to your water.
- Sports Drinks: Drinks like Powerade and Gatorade offer quick replenishment of electrolytes lost in sweat. Many of them also contain helpful levels of calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium.
- Coconut Water: An 11-ounce glass of coconut water contains 14 grams of sugar and 670 milligrams of potassium, which far surpasses what sports drinks deliver. With natural electrolytes from coconut water, iron-packed spinach, inflammation-reducing pineapple, and ginger to help aid digestion, this is the perfect refuel that won’t leave you hungry later on.
- Fruit Juices: Like electrolyte-rich sports drinks, drinking 100% fruit juices helps replenish electrolytes lost through sweating, as well as carbohydrates and glucose.
- Tart Cherry Juice: Tart cherry juice is growing in popularity because it contains anti-inflammatory chemicals that help prevent muscle damage and reduce muscle soreness.
Protein for Muscle Repair and Growth
Protein is crucial for rebuilding muscles bigger and stronger after a weights workout. The most important thing is timing: make sure you get your protein hit two hours post-workout to aid muscle recovery. Generally, most of our protein is consumed at dinner, so whipping up a restorative smoothie for breakfast is the best way to refuel. A good rule of thumb for building muscle is to aim for at least 20 grams of protein in your post-workout meal or snack.
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Milk
- Chocolate Milk: It’s not just for kids! Chocolate milk has a carbohydrates-to-protein ratio in the neighborhood of 4:1, making it an ideal source of replenishment and restoration of muscle glycogen.
Protein Shakes
From whey to plant-based options, our protein products have everything you need for a replenishing post-workout drink, combining protein with fat-burning ingredients. For a post-workout drink that aids weight loss and helps to build a lean physique, try our Diet Whey Protein. Diet Whey Protein is versatile enough to be used at any time of the day to fit any nutrition plan. It’s especially popular as an early morning smoothie to start your day off right or after a workout! For a 100% plant-based, high-protein, low-calorie shake, choose Diet Plant. Diet Plant is suitable for men and women aiming to maintain or build lean muscle mass. With a greater emphasis on keeping body fat low, Diet plan is ideal for anyone who chooses to follow a plant based diet.
Homemade Protein Shake Recipe
Peanut and chia homemade protein shakeRecipe by Jamie Oliver1 banana150g natural soya yoghurt100ml of dairy-free milk1 tbsp peanut butter1 tbsp chia seeds½ tsp cinnamon
Carbohydrates for Energy Replenishment
To give your body energy while rebuilding muscle, experts recommend having a small snack or meal containing carbs, protein, and healthy fat within about an hour of your workout.
Fruit Smoothies
Made with yogurt and frozen berries, fruit smoothies provide simple sugars from fruit that help replenish glycogen stores fast.
Low-Calorie Green Smoothie Recipe
Low-calorie green smoothieRecipe by Gimme Some Oven1 bananaFresh ginger, peeled, to taste2 handfuls fresh baby spinach1 cup frozen pineapple chunks1/2 cup coconut water1/2 cup almond milk1 Tablespoon chia seeds
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Spirulina Smoothie Recipe
This spirulina smoothie combines banana, blueberries, spinach, kale, chia seeds, coconut water (nature’s finest isotonic drink), hemp protein powder and spirulina for a wonderful turquoise treat. Finishing the right kind of smoothie with fill you with the empowerment of knowing you’ve just taken in everything your body needs to get stronger.
Other Beneficial Drinks
- Vegetable Juices: Vegetable juices have lots of helpful nutrients. Tomato-based juices are particularly helpful because they contain lycopene, which is an antioxidant that protects muscles from the stress caused by exercise.
- Green Tea: The iced version is probably more ideal immediately after workouts, when you’re trying to cool down, but hot green tea works just as well. Green tea is a great source of catechins, which are the antioxidants that fight heart disease and cancer.
- Coffee: Hot coffee doesn’t sound like an enticing muscle-recovery drink but it (along with the iced coffee) does offer benefits. Caffeine in coffee helps accelerate the absorption of carbohydrates, which the body needs after workouts in order to refuel glycogen stores.
Macronutrients for Post-Workout Recovery
Macronutrients are a group of nutrients your body needs in large quantities to provide the necessary energy it needs to function. The three macronutrients are protein, carbs, and fat. These may each play a role in your body’s post-workout recovery process. Protein helps repair and build muscle Exercise triggers the breakdown of muscle protein. The rate at which this happens depends on several factors, such as training volume, intensity, and frequency. Consuming an adequate amount of protein throughout the day gives your body the amino acids it needs to repair and rebuild these proteins. It also gives you the building blocks required to build new muscle tissue. The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) recommends consuming 20 to 40 grams (g) of protein every 3 to 4 hours. This may help improve your exercise performance, muscle recovery, and body composition. It’s also important to consume protein before and after exercise. A 2017 study found that eating protein pre-workout and post-workout has a similar effect on muscle strength, hypertrophy, and body composition changes. Eating protein before exercise may also decrease the amount you need to eat after without affecting recovery. However, if you’re specifically aiming to build muscle, the ISSN recommends eating high quality protein within the first 2 hours after working out to stimulate the building blocks for new muscle tissue. Carbs help with recovery Your body’s glycogen stores are used as fuel during exercise, and consuming carbs after your workout helps replenish them. The rate at which your glycogen stores are used depends on the activity. For example, endurance sports cause your body to use more glycogen than resistance training. For this reason, if you participate in endurance sports like cycling and running, you might need to consume more carbs than someone engaging in weightlifting. The ISSN recommends eating a high carb diet of 3.6 to 5.5 g of carbs per pound (8 to 12 g per kilogram [kg]) of body weight each day to help maximize your glycogen stores. Furthermore, insulin secretion, which promotes glycogen synthesis, may be better stimulated when carbs and protein are consumed at the same time. Within the first 4 hours after working out, the ISSN recommends consuming 0.4 g of carbs per pound of body weight (0.8 g of carbs per kg) with 0.1 to 0.2 g of protein per pound of body weight (0.2 to 0.4 g of protein per kg) during each hour to help restore glycogen faster. That said, these recommendations are targeted to the needs of endurance athletes. You may need less if you’re focusing on resistance training. Fat may provide some benefits According to the ISSN, not enough evidence suggests whether you should limit fat intake after a workout. Many people think that eating fat after a workout slows digestion and inhibits the absorption of nutrients. While fat might slow down the absorption of your post-workout meal, it may not reduce its benefits. For example, a 2006 study showed that whole milk was more effective at promoting muscle growth after a workout than skim milk. Similarly, a 2017 study found that eating whole eggs instead of egg whites was more effective at promoting muscle protein synthesis post-workout. Having some fat in your post-workout meal may not affect your recovery. But more studies are needed on this topic.
Timing Your Post-Workout Nutrition
The timing of your meals is important to maximize recovery and muscle growth because your body’s ability to rebuild glycogen and protein is enhanced after exercise. Sports nutrition researchers have been studying nutrient timing for more than 40 years. In the past, experts recommended eating your post-workout meal within 45 to 60 minutes. It was believed that delaying carb consumption by as little as 2 hours after a workout could lead to as much as 50% lower rates of glycogen synthesis. However, more recent research suggests the post-exercise window to maximize the muscular response to eating protein is wider than initially thought, up to as many as several hours. Consuming a meal rich in whole carbs and protein before exercising may also increase your post-workout food intake window, as you may still feel some of the benefits of the pre-workout meal.
Foods to Eat After You Work Out
The primary goal of your post-workout meal is to supply your body with the right nutrients for adequate recovery and maximize your workout’s benefits. Choosing easily digested foods will promote faster nutrient absorption.
The following table contains examples of high quality, easily digested foods:
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- Carbs: Sweet potatoes, Chocolate milk, Fruit (banana, berries, etc.), Rice cakes, Oatmeal, Quinoa
- Protein: Animal-based protein (chicken, fish, turkey, etc.), Eggs, Greek yogurt, Cottage cheese, Plant-based protein (tofu, edamame, etc.)
- Fats: Avocado, Nuts, Nut Butters
Sample Post-Workout Meals and Snacks
Combinations of the foods above can create great meals that give you all the nutrients you need after exercise.
- Meals: Grilled chicken with roasted vegetables and rice, Egg omelet with avocado spread on whole-grain toast, Salmon with sweet potato, Tuna salad sandwich on whole grain bread, Whole-grain toast and almond butter, Quinoa bowl with sweet potatoes, berries, and pecans, Oatmeal, whey protein, banana, and almonds
- Snacks: Tuna and crackers, Cottage cheese and fruits, Pita and hummus, Rice crackers and peanut butter, Cereal with dairy or soy milk, Greek yogurt, berries, and granola, Protein shake and banana, Whole grain crackers with string cheese and fruit
Considerations for Weight Loss
When you want to lose weight and build muscle, it is equally vital to choose wisely when deciding what to eat and drink after a workout. You want to replenish your body with carbs, protein, calcium, potassium, and other nutrients that fit within your daily calorie budget. Hydrating in healthy ways and choosing wisely what you eat after exercise can improve your efforts to lose weight.
- Calorie Control: If you’re trying to shed pounds, your post-workout snack could be your most important meal of the day. The trick is to replenish your energy stores and rehydrate without overdoing the calories - try to limit it to about 300 calories with a mix of carbs and protein. Since ready-to-drink shakes often contain added sugars, additives and unnecessary ingredients, making your own means you know exactly what’s going into your body.
- Exercising on an Empty Stomach: Exercising on an empty stomach can help you burn more body fat for fuel. When you eat right before exercising, your body is going to first use the calories you just consumed for fuel. By exercising when it’s been about three to four hours since you last ate, your body is more able to burn fat for fuel because other easier methods of fuel aren’t available. Remember, before exercising, check your glucose levels to make sure you’re within a safe range to do so-about 100 to 180 mg/dL. This can be a very helpful weight-loss tool because regardless of how many calories you burn during your workout, you’re ensuring that you’re burning more body fat for fuel.
- Small Snacks Before Exercise: If you want to eat before exercising, choose a small snack or light meal. If exercising on an empty stomach isn’t a great fit for you, you can avoid consuming extra calories by simply timing your workout right after a small snack or a light meal.
Real Food Options
What should you eat? Stick with real food. It doesn’t need to be complicated. Often, combining a carbohydrate source with a protein source is recommended. Some examples include:
- Fruit + protein (examples: apple with a tablespoon of peanut butter, berries, and a few slices of turkey or nuts)
- Starch + protein (examples: whole grain crackers and cheese or 1/2 sandwich)
- Light yogurt
- Or a lighter snack of veggies and hummus, dip, or string cheese may be desired.
Low-Intensity Exercise
Don’t force yourself to eat a “post workout meal” for low-intensity exercise. If you’re trying to lose weight and your workouts are lower in intensity (like power walking, jogging, or cycling less than an hour at a time) then you likely do not need an intentional “post-workout meal”. Instead, strive to eat mostly whole foods every four to five hours throughout the day to support your calorie needs while also getting daily exercise. In losing weight, there’s a constant balancing act of eating enough to fuel your metabolism and manage hunger vs. reducing calories carefully to encourage your body to burn more body fat. By planning your meals and exercise routine carefully, you can avoid taking in more calories than your goal and still keep yourself well-fueled!
When You Really Should Eat After Your Workout
For some types of exercise, it’s important to eat a meal (or a protein shake) within the hour after your workout.
Types of exercise that might call for an immediate post-workout protein shake or meal include:
- Weight-lifting
- High intensity interval training
- Endurance training (long-distance running, cycling, etc.)
- Any intense exercise over 60 minutes
- High-intensity competitive sports (soccer, tennis, racquet ball, etc.)
If you don’t eat a substantial meal or post-workout protein shake after high intensity exercise, a few issues are of concern:
- You’re depriving your muscles of the amino acids they need to rebuild and recover.
- You’re not replenishing the stored glucose (glycogen) in your muscles which can lead to further muscle breakdown.
- You’ll get hungry a few hours later and likely overeat at that later meal.
Intense training requires proper fuel. Eating every three to four hours throughout the day and eating post-workout is an important part of supporting your body.
Considerations for Individuals with Diabetes
If you take mealtime insulin or other medications that can cause low blood glucose levels, you’ll need to plan the timing of your meals and your exercise more carefully. If you’ve just eaten a meal and taken your full dose of insulin, exercising in the three hours afterwards can lead to low blood glucose (hypoglycemia). This is because exercise causes your muscles to use the glucose in your bloodstream faster. This means you’d need less insulin to manage your goal blood glucose levels after a meal.
Timing Your Meals, Insulin Needs, and Exercise
- Reduce the amount of insulin you take for that meal. If you know you’re going to exercise immediately after eating, you can talk to your doctor about reducing your mealtime insulin dose. The type of exercise you choose (walking or jogging vs. lifting weights), the duration (15 minutes vs. 45 minutes), and the intensity can impact just how much less insulin you need with that meal. Depending on the intensity of your workout (like a rigorous weightlifting session), you may find that you need to reduce your insulin dose for the meal you eat in the few hours after exercising. Still, your insulin needs for exercise can depend on other various factors. Consult your health care provider to determine how and if you should adjust insulin doses before and after exercise.
- Exercise before eating and taking mealtime insulin. By exercising before you eat and taking your mealtime insulin, you reduce your risk of low blood glucose. This can hugely simplify your ability to exercise without low blood glucose. This can also help prevent the need to eat extra carbs during exercise to prevent/manage low blood glucose. Keep in mind that if you experience a low blood glucose even without rapid-acting mealtime insulin in your system, this is a sign that your other insulin/medication dosages may be too high.
Most importantly: Be sure to check your blood glucose before you exercise and carry fast-acting carbohydrates with you (like glucose tablets, gummy candy, or juice) whenever exercising in case you experience low blood glucose.