Although I am not a thin person, we are definitely an active family. My entire family started lifting weights about a year ago after my teenage daughter joined her high school’s powerlifting team and lifting weights has become as routine as unloading the dishwasher every evening.

If you are working out and eating right, yet you still aren’t seeing the results you would like to see, you may not be eating the right foods after your workout. If you didn’t realize you should be eating after a workout- well, there’s your problem! Look at this list of foods to avoid after workouts and restructure your diet as needed.

Sugary Products and Sodas
We all know sugar and soda contain high amounts of calories and unneeded fats, so why eat them after you’ve just worked so hard in the gym? Sugar slows down your metabolism, and a slower metabolism is detrimental to losing weight. When you’ve depleted your body of nutrients, you need something that will put them back in, not something that will make your body feel worse. While you may get that sugar high at first, you will crash and feel terrible. Keep your natural energy boosted with natural sugars, like you find in apples or bananas.



Salty Foods


Many people crave salt after a workout because of sweating, which makes you lose potassium along with other nutrients. Salt will make you bloat and actually can make you more dehydrated, so never eat them when you’re already depleted. Instead, pick up a banana or some dried fruit that will restore potassium.

Pastries


Yes, bread does make you feel fuller longer, but pastries are not the way to go. Your body needs complex carbohydrates to help it replace lost glycogen, which pastries cannot do. They’re too full of sugars and simple carbs to be of much use. Instead, opt for whole wheat toast smeared with light cream cheese and a few slices of fruit.

Raw Vegetables
Does this surprise you? It’s a bit shocking for most people, especially since we all know fruits and vegetables are part of a healthy diet. During an intense workout, your body uses almost all of its stored energy, which raw vegetables alone cannot help you replace. You will need to help restore nutrients, vitamins and minerals, as well as energy, so opt for toast with vegetables and fruit. Never rely on vegetables alone as they are too lean and do not offer enough of the things you need.

We need to eat a boiled egg (or two depending on the person) a few cubes of cheese and a Greek yogurt after conditioning or a hard workout. That way we replenish our protein, a few grams of fat and a small amount of carbs and have a well balanced, but effective post-workout meal.

What do you eat after a workout? Share this post using the social share buttons below this post and let me know how you replenish your energy after a workout.