Did you ever realize that your exercise routine actually extends beyond the gym? I’m not just talking about eating healthy; this also means understanding what your body loses during your workout and what you need to replenish later on to continue your fitness success.
Let’s start with the obvious, shall we? The all too important little molecule we like to call “H-two-O” that makes up about 70% of our bodies. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends drinking 2.5 to 5 cups of fluids (mostly water) per hour during exercise, and afterwards, drinking 2 to 3 cups per pound of body weight lost through sweating, especially within the first half hour after exercising. I’ve recently had an experience with slight dehydration while trying to go for a long run, and let me tell you, it is not fun. I had horrible pains in my sides, particularly near my ribs, and I was light-headed and slightly nauseous. Now my pink Camel Back water bottle never leaves my side, and it’s almost always full. Plus, science has shown that drinking a lot of water is an essential tool for weight loss.
Continuing with the fluids theme, why don’t we talk about sports drinks? If your workout is either not very strenuous or doesn’t last for more than an hour or so, stick to water. However, for those participating in more intense, longer-lasting exercise, sports drinks can help you restore electrolytes. Electrolytes are salts and minerals in your body (such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium) that are lost to sweat during exercise and are crucial for fluid balance, homeostasis, and several physiological occurrences within the body. The general suggestion is that one may want to drink 8 ounces of a sports drink for every hour of exercise, but ultimately the amount depends on how much you sweat and how much energy you’re using. Also look for sports drinks with 4-8% carbohydrate content, because this can be more easily digestible than solid foods after exercising.
Speaking of carbs, don’t be afraid of them. You want these in your diet (the complex ones) because they are important in restoring glycogen (your back-up energy source) to your muscles during their recovery. This is where most of your energy comes from when you exercise, and the best time to restore glycogen stores is within the next 30 minutes after your workout. It’s also important to talk about protein in conjunction with carbohydrates, because the rule of thumb is that you should eat a carbohydrate to protein ratio of 3:1 or 4:1.
Protein is very important for muscle building and glycogen replenishment after exercise by augmenting your insulin response. This doesn’t mean that you should go and splurge on a large helping of meat. A light protein-rich meal is your best bet, like yogurt smoothies, protein drinks, or low-fat cheese. Actually, a great post-workout snack is chocolate milk—it has an ideal carbs to protein ratio, it’s 90% water, and plus, it’s just plain yummy.
Also be sure to eat your fruits and veggies: they have essential antioxidants and phytochemicals that boost your immunity and improve recovery. Fitness Magazine has some good suggestions for post-exercise snacks that seem pretty easy and delicious. Check them out here!