Hard working muscles need proper nutrition to replenish fuel. In fact, what you eat after exercise is just as important as the food you eat before your exercise. For that refuel meals are a good option.
Understanding the importance of eating refuel meals to support your exercise and how your body responds to the demands of physical exercise is important. During an exercise session, energy stores (glycogen) can deplete, muscle tissue damage, and sweat loss fluid with electrolytes.
Post-exercise nutrients are essential for replenishing muscle glycogen depleted by physical demands. Further, eating an exercise recovery diet can help to repair and build new muscle tissue, stimulate protein synthesis, and restore fluid and electrolyte balance.
Nutritious food and hydration
Carbohydrates and protein are essential nutrients that specially needed after hard work with a major focus. Drinking plenty of water to replenish fluids and sometimes sports recovery drink is required during exercise sessions.
The average sweat loss during exercise is about 0.5-2 liters per hour and performance decreases after 60-90 minutes of exercise. In general, weight loss of more than 2% during exercise can significantly reduce performance, and heat illnesses can occur when weight gain exceeds 4%.
Sports nutrition research recommends drinking 2-3 cups (16–24 ounces) of water per pound of body weight lost during exercise. Active adults usually do not gain weight after exercise, so a good rule of thumb is to drink plenty of fluids during and after physical activity to prevent dehydration. Drinking when you are thirsty (and not more than 800ml per hour) is now the best guide.
The most important part of eating right is planning and preparing your meals. Your body will appreciate a meal ready to go when the workout is done.
Healthy and Convenient Post-Workout Foods (refuel meals)
- Brown rice
- Chocolate milk
- Fruits
- Lean proteins
- Nut butter
- Power greens
- Quinoa
- Whole grain wrapped / tortillas
- Yogurt
Preparing your post-workout diet is part of the fun of maintaining a healthy body and lifestyle. Below is a sample of food you can enjoy after a great workout.
- Brown rice and boneless chicken breast: Prepare a nutritious healthy meal with your favorite low-sodium spice or salsa. From this can do in a Crockpot, oven. Some sportsmen prefer white rice over brown rice.
- Egg Wrestling: An easy one-skillet meal where you can toss one egg, egg whites, vegetables, and sweet potatoes with your favorite spices and sprinkle with fresh black pepper.
- Left overs: What you cooked the night before was to call your name and get ready to refill that body. Are you ready to cook quinoa? Throw on salad greens and sprinkle with balsamic for a well-balanced meal.
- Peanut Butter: An all-American favorite sandwich on whole-grain sprouted toast is a post-workout delight. Leave the sugary jam and have fun with a drop of local honey. This nutritious meal contains high-quality plant protein, healthy fats, and high fiber.
- Power Smoothie: Mix your favorite fruit with plain yogurt or your favorite tolerant milk, water, and ice. You can add a lot of healthy fats with a spoonful of your favorite nut butter.
- Whole Grain: Whole grain high fiber wrap is a good start to an amazing recovery diet. Add fresh avocados, lean meat, greens, beans or whatever you like to the theme, and enjoy.
PEAK REFUEL – peak freeze dried meals
Peak Refuel meals usually not use TVP or any other filler in the meat they use. Their frozen backpack diet always contains 100% USDA-tested meat. Not only do they provide a meal with real tasty meat, they only use premium ingredients, they are not GMO and require less water to rehydrate unlike the competition. You need to make sure that more water stays in your water bottle.
