The little details make the difference and following a proper diet right after training will help you achieve results more easily

Maintaining a healthy diet adapted to training is as important as the exercise itself to achieve those goals that you have set for yourself. It is useless to follow a training routine if at the moment you leave the gym you eat anything that will not contribute anything.

It should be borne in mind that after performing a high intensity physical activity, “the muscle window opens”, a process in which the muscle is more receptive to absorb and recover all that it has spent. during training. This “muscle window” – also known as the metabolic window – is kept open for the first hour after the activity. During this time, everything we consume will accumulate in the muscles, and not in adipose tissue (fat).

For this reason it is very important to choose appropriately what you have to consume right after training . Keep in mind that eating the right foods not only helps to regenerate muscles, but also helps prevent injuries, promote muscle growth and increase recovery capacity.

The ideal thing after training, apart from drinking water, is to consume carbohydrates and proteins , but the amounts may vary depending on the type of training you have done. We propose below different examples to eat after training:

What to eat after a bodybuilding workout

After a bodybuilding workout, it is important to incorporate protein to avoid protein catabolism (muscle breakdown). It is also interesting to add a small portion of carbohydrates so that the proteins are better absorbed.

• Proposal 1 . Cottage cheese or smoothie fresh cheese + chia seeds: both cheeses are rich in protein, although fresh cheese provides more. If you want to follow a low calorie diet, we recommend cottage cheese because it has less fat. Chia seeds are rich in vegetable protein, healthy fats (omega 3) and fiber.
• Proposal 2 . Banana pancakes: a very easy and quick recipe to prepare. You just have to mash two eggs and a whole banana until you get a liquid cream that you can add directly to a pan with a small spoonful of oil. The result is very good pancakes without added sugar, which provide the source of protein you need thanks to the egg and the carbohydrates of the banana that will help you recover before training.

What to eat after a medium-long distance cardio workout

After a cardiovascular training, it is important to recover the carbohydrates that are the energy substrate to carry out the exercise. Muscle glycogen stores are emptied and therefore must be replenished. If it’s a very long-distance workout, we should also incorporate healthy fats.

• Proposal 1 . Piece of fruit + dates + nuts: dates are a great source of carbohydrates, because they provide almost 60 grams per 100. Fruit also provides a large amount of carbohydrates, in addition to fiber, and nuts are a source of energy and healthy fats highly recommended for sports performance.
• Proposal 2. Oat porridge: Oat porridge is an original Scottish recipe that has milk and oats as its main ingredients. This recipe is the perfect ally to recover energy after a workout, provides carbohydrates, is rich in fiber, vitamins E and B and minerals such as calcium, iron or zinc.

What to eat after a HIIT workout

High intensity interval workouts, known as HIIT and combining strength and cardio exercises at the same time, are a real challenge for our body because we take it practically to the maximum of its performance possibilities. In this case, food plays a very important role because it will help us to recover quickly and effectively. In this case, it will be very important to consume carbohydrates and proteins after training.

• Proposal 1 . Natural yogurt + oat flakes + a piece of fruit: yogurt is a source of protein, but also of vitamins and calcium that helps build strength in hard workouts. Combined with oats, which are rich in carbohydrates and low in fat, it is the perfect complement to recover the energy consumed.
• Proposal 2 . 100% whole wheat toast + avocado and smoked salmon: in this case, whole wheat toast provides us with the carbohydrate base that our body will need, while the combination of salmon and avocado will provide us with a large dose of protein that is they digest easily (mainly salmon) and healthy fats. This is an ideal option to regain energy in the muscle building and recovery process.

Plan your diet with our specialists

To maintain a diet that helps you improve your performance in training and that adapts perfectly to your rhythm of life, we advise you to consult our nutritionists at the DiR Nutrition Service. Get started by asking for your free nutritional advice here.