Post-workout snacking guide
Three dishes to aid recovery after exercising, which just happen to taste divine too…
Whether you’ve been busy doing online workouts, hammering the home-gym or making the most of the crisp autumn air with regular running or cycling sessions, one thing’s for sure, suitable post-exercise eats are essential.
Rather than just grabbing the nearest food to hand once you’ve caught your breath, a mix of protein and carbs is what you should be aiming for – the former helping repair and build muscle, the latter replenishing the glycogen stores that are running on empty having fuelled your active endeavours.
From the super simple to the ‘you’ll need a pan’ variety, these three suggestions of-fer something for everyone and tick just the right refuel boxes.
Popcorn
Yes, really! And the quickest of this tasty bunch. Over at Shape.com, exercise physiologist and fitness nutrition specialist Marta Montenegro says: "My go-to post-workout snack is a small bag of low-fat or fat-free popcorn with one scoop of chocolate whey protein powder (sprinkle it in after it comes out of the microwave and shake a few times). Popcorn is one of the best whole-grain sources to replenish glycogen storage after working out, while the nourishes muscles and assists with recovery. This fits the bill for both an endurance and a resistance type of workout." You could even put your feet up and tune into a movie whilst you tuck in. After all that exertion, you’ll de-serve the break.
Prawn and tomato pasta
If you enjoy cooking and have the time to spare, this tasty dish is packed with healthy carbs and lean protein and low in saturated fat – the perfect post-activity combo. Prawns are also calcium-rich, which further supports bone and muscle health. You can find the recipe over at fitnessgenes.com, but if you’re not partial to a prawn, why not replace them with lean skinless chicken/turkey or – for veggies – a high-protein, low-fat meat substitute like Quorn Chicken Fillets.
Tropical refresher
This smoothie-style drink not only tastes amazing but its packed with good-ies you’d never know were ideal for post-sports refreshment. The Post-Workout Tropical Refresher’s key ingredients are Grape-Nuts, Greek yoghurt and coconut water, each being the avid exerciser’s best friends. First off, Grape-Nuts – a US cereal (£3.30 from Tesco) that doesn’t actually contain grapes or nuts! Instead, it’s all about the toasty grains, which are a great source of protein (9g per 100g). Meanwhile, the yoghurt is famous for packing a protein punch whilst the water delivers recovery-friendly C and B vitamins, including B6, which helps build muscle. It’s quick to make and can be poured into a sports bottle to sup whilst still out and about.
Happy refuelling
So, congratulations on keeping the fitness faith throughout a second lock-down and here’s to branching out in the post-sport eats arena and stocking up on the ingredients needed to create these tasty batches of fuel.
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