What to Eat After You Work Out

Refuel and Recover with a Post-Workout Meal or Snack

-- By Dean Anderson, Fitness Expert

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Here are some sample food combinations for your post exercise meal:

Bread, a bagel, or an English muffin with cheese or peanut butter
Dried fruit and nuts
Cottage cheese with fruit
Fruit juice with cheese
Yogurt with fruit
Veggie omelet with toast or roll
Chocolate milk
Cereal with milk
Eggs and toast
Turkey, ham, chicken, or roast beef sandwich
Vegetable stir-fry with chicken, shrimp, edamame or tofu
Crackers with low fat cheese
Rice or popcorn cakes with nut butter
Smoothie (with milk, yogurt, or added protein powder)
A protein or energy bar
A protein or energy shake
Pancakes and eggs
Any regular meal that contains lean protein, starch, and vegetables

As a moderate exerciser, you have a lot of flexibility when it comes to timing your meals and choosing your foods. The most important thing is getting to know your body and how it responds to exercise, so that you can give it what it needs to perform at its best. Eating the right things at the right times after you work out is essential to keeping your energy up, your workout performance high, and your body in fat-burning mode.

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About The Author

Dean Anderson
Dean Anderson has master's degrees in human services (behavioral psychology/stress management) and liberal studies. His interest in healthy living began at the age of 50 when he confronted his own morbid obesity and health issues. He joined SparkPeople and lost 150 pounds and regained his health. Dean has earned a personal training certification from ACE and received training as a lifestyle and weight management consultant. See all of Dean's articles.

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Member Comments

DWILLIAM116

I love crab! - 4/4/2013 5:45:30 PM
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CHRISTINE42240

lol I mean carbohydrates.. - 1/27/2013 7:59:48 PM
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CHRISTINE42240

Eat protein after workouts not a bunch of crabs. This article is a bunch of ...... - 1/27/2013 7:57:21 PM
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SWIMMAN

Thanks Dean your input is always appreciated! Even re-reading these articles is great :-) - 11/7/2012 11:31:11 AM
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STAYFIT16

Eat protein after working out, such as a hearty peanut butter sandwich etc.For more information about fitness and nutritional products visit stayfitnutrition website. - 9/26/2012 4:31:06 AM
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LANCE500

The article was informative to some people. At least he didn't stress eating milkby products, couldn't imagine chocalate milk. It is as bad as pizza. I usually ate a high protein meat and medium carb meal after my heavy workout in the afternoon. My perfect preworkout food would be whole wheat pasta with turkey for lunch for afternoon workout, oatmeal with eggwhites, with no milk if I have to workout at 4 A.M. - 5/2/2012 11:28:44 PM
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ORGANIC811LFRV

Milk has caseine, a known carcinogen. Milk isn't for human consumption! Milk robs our bodies of calcium leached from our bones in order to nutrilize the acid it causes when entering our stomachs.

The best thing to ingest before and after work outs is green smoothies or green juice! - 2/25/2012 6:26:19 AM
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JODILOU86

Finally! A good reason to drink chocolate milk - low-fat of course :) - 2/22/2012 10:41:58 AM
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GLOMIKE

always wondered of there was a way to help muscles heal after a workout other than just rest thank you.this imformation os a keeper. - 2/20/2012 2:33:51 PM
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MYTURN11

I drink MonaVie (M)mu (immune system drink) and MonaVie Energy (recovery drink) and plenty of H2o before, during and after a workout/run. - 8/16/2011 6:43:32 AM
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KCNEWF

Any guidance on what to eat before a workout?

I usually work out Forsyth thing in the morning and do not eat anything until after my workout. - 5/22/2011 1:12:44 PM
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JUSFOLK

Thanks for this article about eating after exercise. As I prepare for my first 5K, I'll keep these thoughts in mind. - 4/4/2011 12:06:32 AM
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PATTISWIMMER

well I usually have split pea soup after swimming... which is a quick high fiber carbohydrate meal and I add spinach and 80 grams of chicken... today.. - 12/11/2010 3:03:10 PM
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PATTISWIMMER

I am not very thirsty after working out by treading water at the pool for 100 minutes or swimming lengths.... I am usually hungry.... - 12/11/2010 3:01:26 PM
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WENDYJOHN1

I'm surprised to hear so many people say that they are hungry after a work out. For some reason I'm not. Just very thirsty. It actually hurts my stomach if I eat too soon after the work out. Interesting ideas to consider here though. thanks
- 10/8/2010 6:01:50 PM
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