Category: Fitness

We all know that moving our bodies is essential for both our physical and mental health—and re-fueling our bodies afterward is equally important. Still, many of us don’t refuel properly. This expert guide will help ensure you’re getting the post-workout nutrition you need.

Why Post-Workout Nutrition Matters

“Following exercise, what you eat (as well as when you eat it) is crucial for how you recover, build muscle, burn fat, and make progress,” says The Vitamin Shoppe Wellness Council member Josh Axe, D.N.M., D.C., C.N.S., doctor of natural medicine, clinical nutritionist, and author of Keto Diet.

“While it’s associated with loads of health benefits, exercise is technically stress, and causes micro-damage to your tissues that needs to be repaired,” Axe explains. “You might think you’re building muscle while you’re working out, but it’s after exercise that these gains actually occur.”

In fact, in the 30 to 60 minutes after a workout, your muscles are primed to refuel and repair—and eagerly waiting for the nutrients (namely carbs and protein) they need to do so.

Signs You Don’t Eat Enough Post-Workout

Whether you’re in a rush to get back to the office or just forgot to pack a proper snack, it’s easy to neglect refueling after a workout. And that impacts our progress.

“If you ignore hunger signs after a workout, you may miss out on muscle mass gains, become dehydrated, experience dips in energy and brain power, and risk binging later,” says Monica Auslander Moreno, M.S., R.D., L.D.N., nutrition consultant for RSP Nutrition.

The following four signs indicate you’re not eating enough after getting sweaty.

1. Your Muscle Gains Have Been Lame

“When you don’t replenish with carbs and protein after your workouts, you might find that you’re not gaining much muscle,” says Axe. You may also feel unusually sore or more prone to aches and pains.

While carbs provide muscles with the energy they need to function, protein provides amino acids they use to repair and build new tissue.

Related: 6 Possible Reasons Why You’re Not Building Muscle

If you don’t eat within an hour or so of working out, you increase the risk of your body using its own muscle tissue for energy—a process called muscle wasting, Axe explains. When this happens, not only is it incredibly difficult for your body to synthesize new muscle tissue, but it also struggles to preserve the muscle you already have.

2. You Feel Fatigued, Foggy, And Moody

Another sign your post-workout eats aren’t getting the job done: You feel downright awful in the hours following getting your sweat on.

Without adequate nutrition at the right time (soon before or after exercising), many people experience a drop in blood sugar, says Axe.

Called hypoglycemia, low blood sugar signals to your body that it’s running low on its main energy source, glucose. This can cause irritability, sluggishness, and even a little shakiness.

3. Your Urine Is Dark

While re-fueling with actual food is super-important post-workout, don’t forget about restocking on H2O, too!

“If you sweat a lot during your workout or exercise for more than 60 minutes, it’s important to drink extra water after,” says Axe. You’ll also want to make sure you replenish electrolytes, like potassium, sodium, and calcium, which are lost via sweat.

“If you aren’t peeing very light yellow or clear after a workout, you’re dehydrated,” says Auslander Moreno. You may also feel a little woozy and fatigued, have a dry mouth, and notice an unusually fast heart rate.

What A Proper Refuel Looks Like

Whether you’re a competitive athlete or just want to work out hard and see results, eating a balanced, whole food-based diet is essential—and your post-workout fuel is no exception.

The following foods and nutrients are especially important post-exercise.

1. Protein

“Proteins are made of small units called amino acids, which are the body’s building blocks for muscle,” says Axe. If you want to feel strong, perform well, and make progress, protein is a nonnegotiable.

While you’ll want to eat about a gram of protein per pound of body weight total each day, Auslander Moreno recommends shooting for 20 to 25 grams post-workout, specifically.

Grass-fed meat, eggs, and fish are all great whole-food options, but incorporating a quality protein powder into your routine can also help you get your fill. Though whey has long been hailed for its ability to boost muscle protein synthesis (the muscle-building process), a plant-based protein made from a blend of sources will also do the trick.

2. Complex Carbohydrates

Since you use stored sugar called glycogen to power exercise, eating carbs after exercising will ensure you re-stock the glycogen you need to recover and go hard tomorrow.

Related: 8 High-Protein Snacks Nutritionists Love

However, not any candy bar or slice of white bread will do. Focus your carb consumption on complex carbs (like oats, legumes, sweet potatoes, or starchy veggies), which pack more nutrients and break down more slowly than simple carbs.

For optimal glycogen replenishment, the International Society of Sports Nutrition recommends consuming 0.5 to 0.7 grams of carbs per pound of body weight within 30 minutes of training.

4. Fruits And Vegetables

Fruits and veggies provide antioxidants and a slew of vitamins and minerals—including those key electrolytes.

Active people may use (and need) more of these nutrients, so it’s crucial they load up on produce to feel their best.

Plus, since unprocessed plant foods are high in volume yet low in calories, they help you eat to your heart’s content without going overboard on calories, says Axe.

Aim for five to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables per day—and incorporate a few of those servings post-workout. Axe loves bananas—which provide fiber and potassium, and are easy on the stomach—after a good sweat.

What Not To Eat Post-Workout

When your body needs a quick energy refuel after you exercise, “you might find that you crave sugary foods or high-calorie processed foods,” says Axe.

“However, resorting to processed foods after exercise can leave you feeling fatigued, interfere with muscle building, and contribute to inflammation,” says Axe. Over time, chances are it’ll also just contribute to weight gain, too.

Kind of defeats the purpose of taking the time to move your body, right?

How Much Is Too Much?

Important as refueling post-workout may be, you don’t have to force a large meal down your throat every single time for the sake of making gains.

“More food—protein, included—is not always better,” says Axe.

If you worked out at a low intensity for 30 minutes or less, you won’t need to refuel as aggressively as someone who lifted heavy weights or sprinted for an hour.

In fact, if you just went for a quick jog, for example, you may be good to go with just some extra water afterward.

“Keep the big picture in mind,” says Axe. Ultimately, the key is to eat intuitively

“If you’re hungry after a workout, it’s snack time!” says Auslander Moreno. (Just remember to eat enough that you feel satisfied—but not stuffed.) Not hungry? Don’t force it.

While these guidelines can help you nourish your body properly after exercising, always follow your body’s signals and eat based on your hunger cues.

Diggin’ What’s Good? For more essential health facts, tips, and inspiration, join our Facebook communities, Eating Healthy, Staying Fit, and Keeping It Keto today!

If you’ve opened a magazine (or scrolled through your social feeds) in the last, oh, year or so, you’re pretty familiar with collagen. And though many influencers swoon over the protein’s beauty benefits, its fitness perks deserve some attention, too.

The Benefits Of Collagen

Collagen, the protein found in our connective tissues—like skin, joints, muscles, and hair—literally helps hold the structures of our body together. (Think of it as a building block.) For that reason, it’s super-important for healthy joints, strong hair and nails, and supple-looking skin.

Also a component of our gut lining, collagen supports digestion and gut health, too.

Issue is, we our collagen production declines as we age—and the stuff is pretty hard to come by in our diets.

That’s where collagen supplements come in.

Why Collagen For Fitness?

Not only can collagen supplements support overall health (and a sunny complexion), but they’re also a must-have for fitness buffs.

Our muscles aren’t the only tissues that need to recover post-workout. Our joints also need to heal and recover from the stress of exercise. It’s nonnegotiable if we want to avoid joint pain, injury, and degradation, and maintain an active lifestyle through the years.

“Connective tissue [think tendons, cartilage, and ligaments] takes a hit during exercise,” says A. Susan M. Kleiner, Ph.D., R.D., F.A.C.N., C.N.S., F.I.S.S.N., author of The New Power of Eating. “Aside from vitamin C, collagen is about the only thing we’ve seen that enhances the systems that support connective tissue healing, recovery, and strength.”

Related: 7 Reasons Why Your Joints Are Aching—And How To Deal

By maintaining the structure of major parts of our body, collagen supports our ability to move, recover, and continue to improve our fitness.

That’s why Kleiner recommends collagen to her clients who play at a high level, get injured often, or who want to maintain a high level of performance throughout the years.

The Aminos Behind The Benefits

Collagen’s movement-related benefits hail from its high content of two specific amino acids: glycine and proline.

“Interesting research data shows that glycine and proline from collagen have the potential to enhance the factors that strengthen and heal connective tissues,” says Kleiner.

Collagen packs more of these amino acids than most other foods and supplements.

Collagen Caveats To Keep In Mind

Though collagen can boost your fitness by supporting your bones, cartilage, and ligaments, it’s not an adequate replacement for your typical protein supplement.

Aside from its joint benefits, “collagen is actually a pretty poor protein,” says Anne Elizabeth Cundiff, R.D., L.D., F.A.N.D., author of I’m a Registered Dietician…Now What?.

Despite the perks of its high glycine and proline content, collagen is not a ‘complete protein,’ meaning it doesn’t contain all nine of the essential amino acids our bodies can’t produce themselves.

The result: While collagen does contribute a few aminos to the pool our body pulls from to build muscle, it doesn’t stimulate the muscle-building process the way whey or a multi-source plant protein powder does.

“A complete protein, or combination of higher-quality proteins, is what muscles really need,” says Cundiff.

Instead of thinking of collagen as a primary source of protein in your diet, consider it an accessory.

Which Type Of Collagen To Take For Fitness

That said, collagen is a very beneficial accessory to have in your fitness routine—especially if you pick the right supplement.

“There are many different types of collagen our body produces and uses,” explains Cundiff. Often, you’ll find different types in different supplements.

“As a general rule, I recommend using collagen peptides, because they are more easily tolerated and absorbed by the body,” she says.

Collagen peptides are short chains of amino acids created by ‘chopping up’ full collagen proteins. This smaller form makes collagen easier for the body to digest and use.

Collagen’s amino acids are not only used as building blocks throughout the body, but also signal cells to manufacture more collagen on their own.

One versatile option: The Vitamin Shoppe brand Unflavored Collagen Peptides Powder.

Best Practices For Supplementing

Because collagen peptides mix easily into a wide variety beverages and foods, they’re incredibly easy to incorporate into your routine.

For maximum benefit, both Cundiff and Kleiner recommend shooting for 10 to 15 grams of collagen peptides per day, timed around your workouts.

Kleiner recommends mixing collagen peptides with your pre-workout drink or meal, whether it’s coffee, a smoothie, or oatmeal.

If you want to reap the benefits of collagen alongside other fitness-supporting ingredients, add a combo formula, like BodyTech Fruit Punch CLA Carnitine & Collagen, to your shaker cup pre-workout.

Related: 10 Ways To Get Your Collagen Fix (Other Than In A Smoothie)

“Some data shows that an hour before exercise may be ideal,” she says. This ensures collagen’s connective tissue-strengthening powers are in full effect while you’re getting your sweat on.

That said, you can also incorporate the protein into your post-workout routine. Kleiner likes adding it to a recovery drink that combines collagen with ginger, honey, and turmeric.

To keep things simple, just add it to your usual post-workout protein shake, Cundiff suggests.

Pin this handy infographic for quick reference:

Diggin’ What’s Good? For more essential health facts, tips, and inspiration, join our Facebook communities, Eating Healthy, Staying Fit, and Keeping It Keto today!

Want to reap the benefits of a keto diet? Before you adopt the high-fat lifestyle, know this: It has major implications for your fitness routine. Whether you’re a barbell junkie or an ultra-marathoner, here’s what you need to know about training while in fat-burning mode.

Keto: A Metabolic Shift

The reason following a keto diet can have such a significant impact on your weight and well-being? It causes a fundamental shift in your body’s metabolism (a.k.a. how it uses food to produce energy).

Under normal circumstances, our bodies use carbohydrates as their primary source of energy, says sports and performance nutritionist Lauren Manganiello, M.S., R.D., C.P.T. However, when we restrict carbohydrates, our bodies eventually turn to fats for energy.

The unicorn-like state in which we break down fat into usable energy compounds called ketones: ‘ketosis.’

This significant metabolic shift has been credited with helping us shed body fat and feel more energized and focused. It also significantly impacts how our body responds to exercise.

Whether keto enhances or sabotages your fitness, though, depends on what kind of workouts you’re into.

The Keto Diet, Weight Training, And HIIT

If you’re a regular CrossFit-er or weight room devotee, keto can have a notable, not-so-great impact on your workout routine.

Weightlifting and HIIT workouts (like sprints) are forms of anaerobic exercise, meaning our body powers them more or less without using oxygen. Instead, it relies on sugar, either in the form of glucose (which circulates in our blood) or glycogen (which is stored in our muscles and liver).

Why? The body can create energy from sugar faster than it can from other sources—and activities like lifting heavy weights and sprinting require a hefty, quick supply of energy.

Since anaerobic exercise relies so heavily on sugar, it’s not exactly compatible with the virtually sugar-free keto diet. “If you’re following a keto diet, you don’t have many carbs in your system,” says Manganiello. The result: Your performance takes a hit.

One 2018 Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness study, for example, found that men and women who followed a keto diet experienced declines in performance during short, intense anaerobic exercise.

Similarly, a small 2017 Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition study found that when five athletes went keto for 10 weeks, their HIIT performance tanked. (They did, though, shed fat and improve their body composition.)

Ultimately, whether you’re trying to hit a new squat PR or sprint fast while keto, you’ll probably feel like you’re running on empty, because, well, you are.

There’s just no getting around it: The body needs sugar to power these types of workouts.

The Fix: Carb Cycling

If you want to reap the benefits of a lower-carb, higher-fat diet and still feel good in the gym, Manganiello recommends carb cycling.

Instead of following the same typical keto macros every day, carb cycling involves adjusting how many carbs you eat based on your workout for the day.

So, while you might eat full-blown keto-style on low-intensity or rest days, you’ll up your carb intake on more intense training days, she says. This way, you provide your body with the carbs it needs to fuel your workouts, but no more.

Related: I Tried Carb Cycling For A Month—Here’s What Happened

Of course, how many carbs you need to power a quality lift or HIIT session depends on your size and training level.

Start by upping your carb intake to between 100 and 150 grams, which, though not keto, is still considered low-carb. From there, gauge how you feel and perform, and adjust as needed. (If performance is top priority, you’ll likely need to up the carbs significantly more.)

The Keto Diet And Endurance Exercise

While keto might be a performance-killer for weight-room regulars and HIIT class lovers, it can be a useful tool for endurance athletes.

Unlike weightlifting and HIIT, lower-intensity endurance exercise doesn’t heavily rely on carbs for fuel, explains Manganiello.

Instead, this type of exercise—called aerobic exercise—primarily relies on oxygen (and some fats).

That’s why keto can be a good move for cardio buffs. Not only do you have more fats readily available to support aerobic exercise, but your body is better-adapted to utilizing those fats.

In fact, one 2018 Metabolism study found that 20 endurance-trained males who followed keto for 12 weeks saw greater improvements in fat loss and performance than athletes who followed a higher-carbohydrate diet. Unsurprisingly, the keto athletes oxidized (‘burned’) more fat than the carb-eaters.

Just keep in mind that adapting to a keto diet takes time, so it’ll likely take a few weeks to feel groovy during training.

The Bottom Line

Popular as keto may be, it’s still an extreme shift from the average American diet—even a healthy one. Manganiello suggests working with a dietitian, making the switch slowly, and listening to your body throughout the process.

Related: How To Eat Carbs And Still Lose Weight

While you can shed fat and improve your body composition on keto, remember that you’ll be better equipped to handle endurance-focused workouts than high-intensity training while fueling with fat.

If a certain breed of fitness is top priority for you, tweak your nutrition as necessary to power your performance.

Diggin’ What’s Good? For more essential health facts, tips, and inspiration, join our Facebook communities, Eating Healthy, Staying Fit, and Keeping It Keto today!