Today most of us try to lead a healthy lifestyle. Regular visits to the gym have become an indispensable part of our daily routine. Some people choose to go running instead of spending long hours in the gym. One way or another, you should be aware of some things that will help you to achieve better results in no time. First of all, if you do physical exercises regularly you should plan your diet wisely and include only healthy and nutritious foods into it. Lots of people usually don’t eat anything after their workout and this is bad for their health. You lose lots of energy while exercising and when you come back home you need to have a snack. In such way you will supply some nutrients to your body. But keep in mind that there are certain foods you should avoid after workout no matter how much you like them.
1. Pastries
Fiber is one of the most important nutrients that are necessary for your body after a workout. Don’t forget about high-quality carbs that help your body to replace the glycogen. Pastries are known to contain these components. However, they are high in carbohydrates, fat, salt, sugar and calories which you should definitely avoid after your workout. It would be better to choose from a great variety of other foods like raw nuts or multigrain toast that are more beneficial for your health.
2. Fast Food
I would recommend you to remove fast food from your diet, especially if you want to get fit. After a workout you may crave salty food. This is due to the fact that your body generally loses some salt while you are doing physical exercises and it should be replenished. It’s a great temptation to eat some food that doesn’t need to be cooked for a long time. For example, burgers and hot dogs are the most popular choices. However, such snacks will have a negative impact on your diet. By eating fast food you will only supply your body with a large number of bad trans fats. As a result, all your hard work in the gym will be nullified. Some avocado or bananas that are rich in potassium can be a wonderful option for you.
3. Energy Bars
Without a doubt energy bars can help you during your workout. But they will be beneficial only if you consume them before going to the gym. This food has lots of sugar due to which it is a great source of energy for your body. If you add energy bars to your diet as a post-workout snack, your metabolism will be slowed down and you will have some problems with your sleep.
4. Salty Snacks
It is reasonable for you to refuse from various salty snacks. Everybody likes potato chips very much. When we come back home after an exhausting exercise, it is so easy to give way to temptation and eat this unhealthy food. The fact is that we should provide our body with potassium. Sweet and wholesome banana will be a nice substitute for salty chips.
5. Raw Vegetables
We can hardly imagine a healthy diet without fresh fruits and vegetables. Though, when it comes to post-workout food, raw vegetables are not the best option for you. During physical exercises we lose plenty of minerals, vitamins and different nutrients. Unfortunately, raw vegetables can’t replenish them in full. Despite the fact that these foods are low in calories, you will not benefit from them at this time. Surely, you can consume raw veggies, you just need to combine them with some other food. Your body needs fiber and protein to restore muscle tissue. Personally I often eat some vegetables with a yummy yogurt-based dip after my workout.
6. Milk Chocolate
It is typical of most people to crave some sweets, especially chocolate after doing sports. It happens because of sugar loss in their body and the need to get some more. Don’t focus on this desire. One of the convincing reasons why you shouldn’t eat milk chocolate after exercise is its high concentration of glucose and bad fats which influence your health ruinously. As an alternative you can have some fresh fruit. What to do if you can’t resist a strong desire to regale yourself with delicious chocolate? A bit of dark chocolate will be the best thing to try. Being fortified with antioxidants dark chocolate will help your body to resist inflammations easily.
7. Cheese
Sure, cheese is one of the tastiest foods and at the same time it is the worst snack to have after your workout. This dairy product is rich in fats and it is highly processed either. In other words, cheese is not the food to include into your menu. For those who like cheese so much, mozzarella, which is low fat, can be a nice source of energy after going to the gym.
8. Sugary Snacks
As it was told above, your body lacks sugar when you do physical exercises. Nevertheless, you shouldn’t grab greedily all kinds of desserts. If you want to stay healthy and keep fit, try to avoid sugary snacks by all means. Firstly, by eating them you will get extra calories. Secondly, these foods have the ability to slow down your metabolism. That’s why I recommend you to remove sweets from your diet in order to make your workout more successful.
9. Fried Eggs
You know, eggs can provide your body with a huge amount of protein and choline. After exercise you need to make your heart stronger and healthier. It is advisable to look for a great source of these nutrients. Just keep in mind that you shouldn’t fry eggs as in this way they will absorb too much oil and butter, which are known to be saturated fats. There are some other ways to cook eggs without any damage to your health. For instance, you can boil them or even use them raw to make some smoothie or protein shake.
10. Soda
Do you know that soda can be also harmful for your health? This is one of those drinks that are full of sugar. What is more important, soda can cause you bloating. Certainly, that is a big discomfort for you. It is necessary to hydrate your body after you worked out hard in the gym. Drinking water is the perfect way to do that.
If you spend hours doing physical exercises you should always pay much attention to your diet. Only wholesome foods that are rich in various nutrients can help you to get fit without any damage to your health. Be careful with the choice of your post-workout snacks as not all of your favorite foods can be eaten after exercise. I hope you will consider my recommendations next time you choose the foods to eat after your workout. Do you have a snack after doing physical exercises? What are your usual options?