Eating after working out

Adventure87

So I've eating better and working out. I really want to slim down for bikini season (I've lost 5 lbs so far!) but also for my own confidence level. Here's my dilemma: I keep hearing these reports that its important to eat something with whole grains after a workout in order to repair your muscles and help decrease the next day's soreness. It was very interesting, but then I remembered that its also important not to eat carbs before bed because they turn into sugars while you sleep. I like working out at night because a) it works with my work and school schedules and b) I like going home, showering, and falling into bed after an exhausting workout. So which is the lesser evil? Not nourishing my muscles after a workout, or undoing all my hard work by eating something that will just turn into sugars?

17 years ago

Body Type

6 replies

Latest reply was from christie

Dawn

(website)

Active Member

It's my understanding anyway from reading about how to improve my recovery times after mountain biking sessions or running that you need to eat both protein and carbohydrates after a workout. You need the carbohydrates to replace glycogen (form of glucose in the muscles) and you need protein for muscle repair. If you don't eat and replenish your body after working out, your recovery times will be very slow. I believe that it's recommended to eat a minimum of a 200 gram snack containing both carbohydrate and protein within 30 minutes of exercise. Also remember that metabolism rates are heightened after exercise and that you burn around 60-70 calories an hour while sleeping, so a recovery snack isn't going to undo all your hard work just as long as it's kept healthy.

Some of my preferred post-exercise foods are cereal and fruit, toast and eggs, smoothies, etc...

17 years ago

Amanda

Active Member

I would recommend eating after your work out in the evening because if your body is hungry during the night you won't sleep as well and you won't be as rested. One of the ways to deal with insomnia is to eat something small that is carbohydrates rather than protein before going to sleep.

17 years ago

Lee Hovey

Active Member

I am not sure if you need to be a member or not, but give it a try. Here are articles from SparkPeople.com. I believe what you eat before and after your workout are equally important.

Before your workout:
http://www.sparkpeople.com/res.....sp?id=1074

After your workout:
http://www.sparkpeople.com/res.....038;page=3

17 years ago

Sarah

(website)

Veteran

As far as I know you want to eat something with protein after a workout, preferably within 30 minutes. It helps repair your muscles. If you eat it within 30 minutes your muscles can often take in twice as much protein as other times.
A good resource (in addition to the above) is caloriecount.com.

17 years ago

shiny

Veteran

Yes you want to replenish your carbs after a workout.

Meanwhile, it is a myth that eating before bed is bad for weight loss. However, it can be bad to eat before bedtime for other reasons (for example, if you have heartburn). But eating before bed won't affect your weight loss one way or another (unless you overeat).

In fact, it may encourage deeper sleep - I personally can't sleep on an empty stomach; if I'm peckish I drink milk. And sleep is incredibly important for weight control *and* muscle repair.

17 years ago

christie

Active Member

My whole philosophy on food is that whatever you read is all hogwash. I think pinning yourself into eating a certain amount of this or that at a particular time is too stressful. If you exercise and you are a little hungry, eat what sounds good. If you're not hungry, then wait until mealtime. Unless you are an olympic athlete and HAVE to worry about these things, I think your health and sanity will be much better off by eating reasonable amounts of fresh (not overly-processed) foods and not worrying about all of the science.

17 years ago

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