After aerobic exercise, your body needs carbohydrates and protein, as well as water, which you should be drinking throughout your workout. Just how many carbohydrates you need after a workout, however, is a debatable point, with some experts advocating a high carbohydrate meal and others suggesting a low carbohydrate intake to better improve insulin sensitivity and the body's efficient use of sugar in the bloodstream for fuel in the muscles.
Balancing Post-Workout Diet
MayoClinic.com recommends eating a meal or snack that contains protein and carbohydrates within two hours of an aerobic workout. Some suggestions from MayoClinic.com include yogurt and fruit, peanut butter or meat sandwich, cheese and crackers, nuts and dried fruit, or, if you're hungry, a standard meal with a protein, starch and vegetable or salad.
Insulin Sensitivity
A study published in the January 2010 issue of the "Journal of Applied Psychology," found that aerobic exercises enhances insulin sensitivity, which means the body can more effectively take up sugar into the muscles to be stored and used as fuel. Researchers found that insulin sensitivity was enhanced more with a meal that was relatively low in carbohydrate content. The number of calories seemed to make little difference in the short-term, but it was important to eat a balance of carbs and protein.
High-Carb Option
If you regularly engage in high-intensity aerobic activity, such as triathlon training or two hours of full-court basketball, your body will need more carbohydrates than someone who leads a more sedentary lifestyle. Registered dietitian Sharon Howard, writing for ESPN.com's special Training Room section, suggests as many as 250 to 550 g of carbs per day, though that's only if you consider yourself an athlete and work out daily. Carbs help replaced glycogen in the body that is lost during your workout. Your muscles are much more receptive to storing glycogen for fuel, as opposed to letting those carbs turn to fat, if you consume them within two hours after your workout.
Fruit Juices Or Smoothies
You may not be hungry for a meal or may not have the time for one after your workout, but your body will be screaming for renourishment. One way to address that is with fruit juices, because they contain needed carbs and other nutrients, and they provide fluids that your body also needs after aerobic exercise. To get protein into that post-workout beverage, make a simple smoothie with half a cup of low fat yogurt, 1/2 cup of fruit and 1 cup of fruit juice.
Member Comments