Fitness
Here’s Why You Should Always Eat After a Workout
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We all know the story. You book a last-minute, lunchtime barre class—sandwiched in between meetings and phone calls—only to find yourself three hours later ravenously hungry and on a rampage to find food. It's called hanger, and it's the worst feeling ever. Not to mention it’s terrible for your body and your brain.
I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to put the right thing in your body post-workout. Not only does it keep you from flying off the handle at the office, but it's paramount for proper recovery, optimum brain function, and overall health. Here are my top reasons why you should always eat after each and every sweat session, no matter the activity level.
Your body has needs post-workout.
Whether it's a low-impact barre class or HIIT cardio circuit, you're breaking down muscles during a workout. This breakdown is actually micro tears in your muscles that need to be healed. Proper post-workout nutrition gives your body the building blocks to complete this healing and recovery. Specifically, your body needs protein to help with muscle recovery, electrolytes to help you rehydrate and metabolic fats for a quick source of energy. That's why we created Après—a clean ready-to-drink beverage featuring plant-based protein with MCT's and electrolytes. So now can give your body what it’s craving after class and on-the-go.
Take advantage of the 30-minute window.
As important as post-workout nutrition is, the timing of consuming the nutrition is just as important. These micro tears are primed for nutrient absorption within 30 minutes of your workout, which is why you must feed them. Research shows that your body's ability to repair muscle decreases by 50 percent if you wait to eat just two hours post-workout compared to eating right away. Perhaps it's no surprise then that many experts say that your post-workout nutrition is even more important than the workout itself. At Après, we are particularly obsessed with taking advantage of this post-workout moment.
What it means when you miss that window.
First off, you'll probably start to feel faint and exhausted. Part of this is linked to the degree of difficulty of your workout, but the other part is lack of proper nutrition. Short term, workouts deplete your glycogen stores, which leads to longer recovery times, less energy and negative effects on mood. Longer term, lack of proper post-workout nutrition means you aren't seeing the payoff for all your hard work! As we all know, this means less lean muscle and a slower metabolism.
So, what should you be eating?
Ideally, you're able to eat or drink 10-20 grams of protein post-workout—we prefer plants for their added vitamins and minerals—along with electrolytes and metabolic fats. To take full advantage of that golden 30-minute window, bring a snack with you to have on your way out of the studio—like an Après, of course!—or get your booty to the closest healthy cafe or kitchen.
In need of more real-girl health advice? Follow Darby on Instagram for all things nutrition, fitness, and wellness!
