Post - Workout Meal after Gym: What to eat? & its Health Benefits



Before we begin, we would like to ask you something interesting.                                                        

How could your workout actually work out for you? Thought of an answer? Well, there’s a lot that goes into it. One among them is your post workout meal. But, why? Understand that these physical activities consume a lot of energy. Your body needs the required amount of nutrients and carbs to restore them back. 

Because of this, expert trainers outline post workout diet plans to assist you in achieving your health goals. While it's necessary to exercise regularly, choosing the appropriate dietary combinations is just as crucial. Always remember this:

Don’t ever skip post workout meals. Consume natural food products with appropriate amounts of nutrients and carbs within 2 hours of workout. This aids in promoting recovery with the finest results and fostering the creation of muscle protein.

Want to learn more on what to eat? And the benefits of post-workout meals? Continue reading, we’ll guide you through the advantages and also share with you a few natural food products you must try. We also have a few FAQs answered in the later part, do not forget to read those too. 

Benefits of consuming Post Workout meals

Let's get going. As we stated above, a good post workout meal is a critical element for successful workouts. Here’s 3 very important benefits you must know. 

1)Helps stimulate muscle growth and repairs tissue

Consuming protein and carbohydrate rich food helps repair the muscle tissue that is damaged during exercise sessions. They also aid in muscle growth, which is very much essential for recovery and gives strength for future workouts. 

2)Helps to restock the muscle glycogen

Muscle’s glycogen levels are decreased as a result of its utilisation during exercise. Hence our muscles starve for nutrients to rebuild its glycogen stores. A well balanced diet, helps speed up the recovery process effectively and quickly. 

3)Aids in replenishing the fluids lost during physical activity

Exercise results in an average sweat loss of 0.5-2 litres. Therefore, it is necessary to consume enough water or other nutritious liquid foods. Water should be consumed before, during, and after exercise. By doing this, dehydration is avoided. Salt and other electrolytes are replenished as well. 

You must try these electrolyte liquids, such as coconut water, milk, watermelon, and other fruit juices. All these are extremely nourishing after a sweaty workout session. 

Post gym diet need not include very expensive supplements, nor is it required to be complicated. But, taking in the required nutrients matters. Keep reading, here’s a list of food ingredients to add to your post workout diet plan. 

Healthy and Natural foods to be consumed as post workout meals: 

Almonds:

Almonds are rich in minerals, vitamins, healthy fats and antioxidants. They are the best after your workout to replenish the lost muscle glycogen. Dry fruits and nuts combinations work perfectly. Grab a handful of 100% natural Himalayan Natives Almonds along with a few raisins. This simple protein snack stimulates muscle glycogen and muscle building. 

Pumpkin seeds:

Heavy or intense workout sessions at the gym could cause muscle tissue damage. As pumpkin seeds contain Zinc and BCAAs they will help in rebuilding and repairing muscle tissue. Also the other nutrients like Vitamin A in pumpkin seeds are very beneficial to the immune system. Buy Pumpkin Seeds and add them to cookies, breads or any baked goods. Another tip is you can put them in your smoothies or oatmeal too. 

Cottage Cheese:

Cottage Cheese is a nutritious snack you should definitely try. They provide all the benefits to maintain your fitness because they are low in fat, high in protein, and rich in minerals. As a result, it aids in muscle growth and recovery as you sleep. Additionally, it contains extra water, which enhances your post-workout hydration. They are also great for maintaining bone health. 

Eat this snack after your workout in the evening. When you add fruits to it, they become incredibly yummy. Try including a banana, an apple, some raisins, or any other dry fruit. Spread it on your sandwiches and add it to your salads. 

Cow Ghee:

The next on our list is Desi cow ghee. What’s a better way to boost immunity and help muscles in lubrication than adding Ghee to your food. It is also known as a nutritional powerhouse as it contains essential vitamins like A,D, E and K. These vitamins are beneficial for immunity. Presence of omega-3 fatty acids, DHA and omega 6 (CLA) in them aids in weight loss too. 

You can put it on your chapati and even bread. Surely a healthy bite for a weary body after workout. You can even have a teaspoon of Ghee daily too. But make sure to purchase only pure and unadulterated Cow Ghee Online. Never compromise with your healthy diet plan. 

Soya Chunks:

Are you thinking of building strong muscles? Try soya chunks! For a serving of 100 grams you get 52 grams of protein, 13 grams fibre, 33 grams of carbs. Yes, you read that right. Soya chunks are excellent for enhancing overall health and muscle growth. Isoflavones from soy are also helpful for weight loss. 

There are numerous ways to add them to your diet. The simplest method is to make a delicious Soya Chunks Pulao or Biryani. You could also cook a meat-like vegetarian dish, such as soy kebab, instead, which is a nutritious alternative. If you need more, browse online for some awesome Soya chunk recipes, you’ll find tons of them. With all these amazing health benefits and tasty recipes, what’s stopping you to not try them? Add them to your diet plan right away!

Green Gram:

You might be thinking if green gram is here in the list by mistake. No, not at all. It’s one of the finest post workout meal for muscle gain. It's a rich source of fibre, calcium, antioxidants and various healthy proteins. Having these Premium Green Gram after workout helps to keep cholesterol and sugar levels in check. Also it helps to reduce heart related diseases. Green gram sprouts have very high nutritional content. Try out making chats or salads from these sprouts. They are absolutely helpful for stronger muscles, bones and also for immunity. 

Hope now you know what to eat after your gym session and why you should never miss out on these meals. Check out our FAQs section, we’ve answered a few important questions related to this topic. Highly encourage you to keep reading. 

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions):

Q1. What foods to avoid after working out?

Answer: Before we tell what foods to avoid, let's understand why. Food items that are hard to digest or full of sugar content causes much damage to the recovery process. That's the reason why you should avoid foods like these:

• Food items that are spicy
• Chocolates 
• Fast Foods 
• Raw vegetables
• Sugary beverages

Q2. What should a post-workout meal include?

Answer: Workout sessions deplete the muscle glycogen and damaged muscle tissues need repair. Protein is required to rebuild muscles, whereas carbohydrates replenish your muscles' glycogen stores. Hence you need to eat meals that are a great source of protein and carbohydrates. This will ensure your body gets the sufficient amount of nutrients that's required to speed up recovery.  

Q3. How many minutes after workout can I eat?

Answer: There’s no scientifically proven time guidelines. Relax and rest for at least 10 -15 minutes. Eat your delicious and healthy post workout meals or snack after that. Also, make sure you have your pre-workout meal 2 hours before your exercise session. Because delay in carbs consumption will result in lower rate of glycogen synthesis. 

Did you know? Pre-workout meals are important, just like post-workout meals, and you shouldn't skip them. Check out our blog on: Top Natural Foods To Provide Instant Energy Before Workout. As it's said, well planned is half done. If you are expecting great results from your workouts, it's critical to understand what diet plans work best for you.

Therefore, we encourage you to stay updated with nutritional facts and health benefits of these natural foods and be regular with your workout sessions. These tiny little steps that you take now will go a long way.

We hope you gained some awesome and practical insights through this blog. That’s what we aim at. Our entire team at Himalayan Natives is not just busy providing you the best of nature. But also sharing our helpful advice so that you stay strong and healthy. Stay connected with us on our social platforms, we would love to hear from you. Until then, have a great day. See you in the next blog.