Let’s Talk POST WORKOUT NUTRITION For Faster Results & Better Recovery!

Hey it’s Kelsey from HIITBURN.com. Today we’re going to be talking about post workout nutrition for better recovery and faster results.

Getting in nutrients post workout is really important to optimize the hard work you just put in and help your body recover better.

Why do you need good post workout nutrition? There are three main purposes to eating post-workout:

Replenish glycogen in your muscles – which means you are replenishing your energy in your muscles
Decrease protein breakdown – which means you want to repair the damage that was caused to your muscles during your workout
Increase protein synthesis – which means you want to increase your muscle quality and size

Some of the biggest benefits of eating well post-workout is to help with recovery, improve your body’s ability to utilize body fat, increase muscle, decrease soreness, among many other things.

When you have great post workout nutrition, you:

Recover more quickly
Less sore
Improve your ability to use fat as fuel
Increase your ability to build muscle
Improve your immune function
Feel more energized and productive

If you want to get the most out of your workout, it doesn’t stop after you stop sweating, you need to continue the good work through your nutrition afterwards.

There’s not ONE magical food to eat post workout… BUT what you should focus on is getting a mix of BOTH protein AND carbohydrates.

You need to eat protein which helps with protein synthesis. When you workout, you are breaking down down your muscle tissue, and you need protein in order to increase muscle protein synthesis to rebuild and grow your muscles.

So, when and what do you eat post workout for better recovery and faster results?

WHEN

There is a 2-hour window post-workout where you muscles and body are primed to absorb nutrients to build muscle and repair.

This window starts immediately after you workout until about 2-hours later. It’s not that your body “can’t” absorb the nutrients after the 2-hour window, it’s just that it is primed for optimal absorption during that time.

Don’t feel stressed or incredibly rushed to eat post-workout, but just be mindful of getting in some good nutrients within a couple of hours of your workout for best results.

WHAT

Post-workout nutrition should include two main macronutrients.

Protein and Carbs.

Protein helps with the protein synthesis for muscle repair and growth. And carbs replenish your glycogen stores in your muscles for energy.

You can definitely eat a full meal after your workouts such as a chicken burrito bowl – which includes both protein and carbs.

Eating a whole food meal with protein and carbs is great, but sometimes people aren’t super hungry right after a tough workout or don’t have time to make a full meal.

In addition, a lot of times after a workout you are on the go for your next activity, so you need something fast.

A great option is to get in a protein shake! Having a protein shake is quick and convenient, but also since it’s in liquid form, it will digest quickly which is great for nutrient absorption.

Using a protein powder that has minimal ingredients is key. You want to avoid fillers, artificial ingredients and preservatives.

A protein powder that we are currently loving is Vital Proteins Banana Cinnamon Vanilla Whey. This protein uses the highest quality ingredients like grass-fed whey and organic banana.

When it’s post workout, I like to blend 2 scoops of this with some banana or berries to get in my protein and carbs. This protein also includes Collagen which is a form of protein that improves your hair, skin, nails, joints, and connective tissues, which helps with post workout recovery.

Thanks for joining! Enjoy these tips for post workout nutrition!

Resources: Precision Nutrition

https://www.precisionnutrition.com/about-post-workout-nutrition