The first 30 to 45 minutes after a workout are incredibly important. This is when you have to make sure that your body is properly nourished so that recovery is as fast as possible. The recovery process will normally include replacing energy stores, preventing fatigue, preventing muscle soreness and even muscle building. If you use back to back daily workouts or 2 workouts daily, reducing muscle soreness is a crucial part of the process.
What you eat after the workout is what will aid you to reduce muscle soreness. Let’s help you by telling you exactly what foods you need to take into account. Consider everything mentioned below.
Carbohydrates Are Important
An athlete will have to refuel after endurance or strength based workouts. Most stay focused on protein intake but that is not necessary. You need a good carbohydrate source after the workout as the body cannot produce insulin without it. This automatically means that muscle building is not going to offer results at a suitable rate. Carbs help in replacing muscle and even liver glycogen levels. We recommend that you have a ratio of to 1 when comparing carbs to proteins. After an endurance based workout, you need a 4 to 1 ratio.
Stock Up On Antioxidants
Foods that are rich in antioxidants are important as they will decrease muscle soreness and will reduce inflammation. It is easy to get enough carbs and antioxidants when you simply drink tart cherry juice. This is one drink that few consider but research highlights the fact that it can aid athletic performance. It is actually one of the really popular recovery foods. Make sure that you also add a very good protein source. Turmeric and ginger are really good antioxidant sources.
Liquid Meals
When you exercise, you will notice that you lose your appetite. There are many athletes that will have problems in eating following a workout. In this case, liquid foods are a really good idea. They are appealing and you can actually find some that are especially designed for consumption after the workout. Since liquids are easily available, they are digested faster when compared with the solid foods.
Always Plan Ahead
Many athletes, especially beginners, will not plan ahead. They will make the mistake of not having food with them after the workout. As already mentioned, the first half an hour after working out is really important. With this in mind, make sure that you will plan your recovery snacks and recovery meals appropriately. Think about what type of exercise you did, duration and workout location. In many cases you will end up with a problem since the road home takes too much time. Take appropriate shakes with you in the event you cannot put your hands on suitable solid foods.