Best Recovery Tips in Sports Nutrition after Exercise
There are specific foods that are recommended for sportsmen and women that fulfill their nutrition requirements. As a result, you can take any of these foods in the recommended proportion after a workout session or competition.
Some of the foods’ characteristic features contain the ability to replenish the depleted body nutrients such as glycogen in the muscles and water molecules. Besides, the foods can repair worn out or torn tissues in the muscles.
Apart from knowing what to take in the right proportion and how to take it, this article will guide you on the best timing for these recovery food items.
More Carbohydrate than Protein (Ratio 4:1)
Dietitians and Researchers found that the more carbohydrate to protein you take, the more glycogen your body retains, especially after an exercise session. It is essential to first note that a good recovery food must contain four times the amount of protein as carbohydrate.
Therefore, this ratio of 4:1 of carb to protein is more important and more beneficial than taking carbohydrates alone. Conversely, taking in more protein slows down the burnout of glycogen and the process of rehydration.
Similarly, sports nutrition experts recommend the following food items to work best for recovery: whole grains, dairy products, and fruits. Even if you cannot get a full meal immediately after a sports session, you can try out the following items:
- One bowl of a whole-grain cereal plus some measure of low-fat milk
- A brown of granola with a cup of low-fat milk
- A whole-grain toast bread such as wheat smeared with almond butter
- Half-cup of fresh berries plus low-fat yogurt
- Low-fat or fat-free chocolate milk
- Medium banana plus a glass of low-fat milk
Recovery Tips
1. Eat on time.
The best way to optimize your meal after exercise is to eat the feed within 30 to 60 minutes after a Workout exercise session or competition. But remember to keep the rule of the carb-protein ratio of 4:1.
This step’s medical benefit is that it allows the body to store up to three times of the glycogen you would have stored if you wait for 2 hours before eating.
2. Hydrate with water.
After completing your workout, you should drink enough water to first rehydrate the body. More so, the workout session must have caused you to lose some water through sweating.
Scientifically, you can also determine the amount of water you need to drink by first checking the lost weight. For instance, you will need to take in 3 cups of water to replace every 16 to 24 fluid ounces of lost body weight.
On the other hand, you can use your urine color to determine the amount of water lost and the amount of water to take. A “color check” will give you a rough estimate of the extent of your dehydration.
For instance, normal urine after a workout session should be slightly yellow or light tint. However, if your urine is too clear, it indicates over-hydration, which is not a good state. Dark-colored urine with high concentration shows that you are highly dehydrated and require a lot of water.
3. Always eat something before exercise
You should not be totally exhausted when having a workout session because it will enhance your ability to recover faster. Therefore, a good trainer will tell you to stay on the right food and drinks while working out. However, the level of hydration depends on the intensity and duration of the exercise.
Other factors may include weather conditions or your fitness level. On average, determine to take a cup of water after every minute of exercise. Sports nutrition must make room for enough food and drinks in the right proportion.
At the same time, the right sports drink should contain not only carbohydrates but also electrolytes. As soon as you lose up to 2% of your body weight, it will affect your performance level. But when the bodyweight loss reaches 4%, it can bring about heat illness.
Any workout that takes within an hour, you will be OK with water alone. But when you work out for up to 90 minutes or more, you may need to replenish your body with carbohydrates. To keep up with the sports nutrition demand, you may stack up some energy bars, bananas, and other easily digestible foods in your sports bag.
4. Exercises require eating well
If you engage in consistent workout sessions, you may need to continually supply food and drink. Sports nutrition requires foods with adequate energy supply, especially those that can renew the muscles. For a start, you need to eat a balanced diet and keep up with highly nutritious food throughout the day.
The strength in the muscles is determined by the amount of stored glycogen in the tissues. Therefore, more carbohydrates supply more stability to the muscles, and you need to continue to feed on more carbs.
Apart from carbohydrates, proteins and fats as parts of your sports nutrition are also important. A full meal after exercise should therefore contain carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in the right proportions.
5. Take chocolate drink as part of your sports nutrition
Typically, chocolate drinks contain a combination of carbohydrates and protein. In essence, it is an ideal drink to help you recover every lost energy. By research, a low-fat chocolate drink and a sports drink are not different from sports nutrition materials.
More so, after exhausting energy through muscle stress and fatigue, drinking a sports drink or chocolate drink helps quick recovery by reducing the amount of creatine kinase in eth muscle. When you implement this article’s strategies, you can perform better during exercise and recover quickly for the next session.
Conclusion
When you conclude each workout session, the significant food classes are integral parts of sports nutrition. In other words, you should ensure the food contains carbohydrates, protein, and fats, but in the right proportion to supply all that you need. Furthermore, you must also consider the essential tips to help you achieve the best results from your workout sessions.
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