The Importance of Eating After Training

Recovery is regarded as an active part of training or competition. It is no longer passive, happening by itself in its own time, but rather specific strategies are employed to speed up the recovery process. Nutrition is regarded as a vital component of this recovery process.

Whilst multiple researches suggest times of between 30 to 60 minutes after a workout, we’ll use the average of 45 minutes being your optimal time. This is the period during which the muscles absorb the most nutrients and when gylcogen (energy reserve in your muscles) are replaced most efficiently.

So what is the purpose of post-exercise nutrition?

·   To replace the fluids and electrolytes lost in sweat.

Heavy sweating causes loss of minerals and electrolytes so consider using a sports drink with electrolytes if you need to replace more than 2-3 glasses of fluid. If you sweat a lot or the weather is hot and/or humid, it is crucial you drink at least one full bottle of an electrolyte drink.

·   Refueling muscle glycogen stores.

Combining carbohydrate and protein results in 100% greater muscle glycogen stores (and higher insulin stores) than those who only eat carbohydrate. The optimal carbohydrate to protein ratio for this effect is on average regarded to be 4:1 (four grams of carbohydrate for every one gram of protein). Eating more protein than that, however, has a negative impact because it slows rehydration and glycogen replenishment.

·   Repairing any damage caused by exercise and building new structure to adapt to the workload

A very important role that protein has is that it provides the amino acids necessary to rebuild muscle tissue that is damaged during intense, prolonged exercise. It can also increase the absorption of water from the intestines and improve muscle hydration. The amino acids in protein can also stimulate the immune system, making you more resistant to colds and other infections.

These tips are to be used as a guide. It is important to experiment with the amount of food and drink, and the respective ratios, to find out what works best for you. For example, for weight management you may want to go higher in protein and lower in carbohydrate.

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Sources: The Complete South African Guide To Sports Nutrition, Louise Burke; How much protein and carbohydrates do you need after a workout, Elizabeth Quinn; How soon can I eat after working out, Johnny Bowden