Refueling After Exercise

By Dilworth Now nutrition columnist Marian Bennett

Have you ever experienced such an intense workout that it left you feeling like you could eat everything in sight?

 Exercising for at least 60 minutes at a moderate to high intensity can deplete the glycogen stores in your muscles. 

Glycogen is the stored form of glucose or sugar in our body. It is released when we start to exercise so that it can provide us with energy and allows us to keep moving forward. Taking a spin class, boot camp, or running can deplete those stores and really rack up an appetite! However, an easy going water aerobics class, light jogging, or a Zumba class may not deplete those stores as quickly. 

After a workout we want to quickly replenish those glycogen stores that were lost.

Following an intense workout session of 60 minutes or more, eating brown rice or a half of a sweet potato with either baked salmon topped with lemon juice or roasted rosemary chicken breasts with steamed vegetables is one great option. 

Smoothies are a great option after exercise.

Another option could be a protein smoothie filled with:

• spinach and/or kale, 
• frozen strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries, 
• a scoop of whey, gluten free, soy free, and/or dairy free protein powder, 
• and add almond milk and/or orange juice for some sweetness. 

With the protein smoothie make sure to add a carbohydrate like a piece of bread or two to help restore the glycogen. Eating a meal similar to this will provide you more strength throughout the day, heal your muscles quicker and potentially hold off muscle soreness.

Exercising at a lighter intensity will not require as high a demand of food intake as the higher intensity, but there still needs to be a consumption of carbohydrates and protein. 

A small turkey sandwich with lettuce, tomato and mustard with a banana and one tablespoon of almond butter would be a great option! 

A vegetarian option could be a small burrito using a whole wheat or gluten free wrap with lettuce, black or red kidney beans, roasted peppers, homemade salsa, and shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese.