Foods to avoid after workout, very important

Going to the gym is not just fashionable but it is also very good for health. This is because working out is such an essential part of well being that a health-conscious person does not want to miss.

Various people have different reasons for using the gym. For one, some gym users just want to lose a few kilogrammes and shape up; other people — especially men — simply want to build muscles; while most women may want to tone up their muscles.

Whatever may be the reason for gym use, there are many benefits you can derive from working out regularly. Fitness experts advise that if you spend an average of 30 minutes per gym visit thrice a week, you are likely to achieve your goals and even much more.

However, nutritionists warn that working out in the gym is one thing, and that combining your fitness exercise with a balanced, nutritious and healthy diet is another.

They are of the view that after a strenuous session at the gym, there are foods that you should never touch with the longest pole if you must achieve your goal of keeping fit and staying healthy.

A nutritionist, Dr. Remi Omotunde, reveals that when you eat certain food combinations after exercise, they may actually sabotage any weight loss benefit by disrupting the way fat is metabolised after a training session.

In a research published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, scientists advise you to eat foods that are low in carbohydrates after an aerobic workout in order to enhance insulin sensitivity and optimise the storage and release of body fat.

The lead author, Sean Newsom, notes that the content of meals consumed after exercise can impact metabolic responses for hours and even days after the exercise session.

Newsom and his team aver that carbohydrate deficit after exercise, rather than energy deficit, contributes to the insulin-sensitising effects of acute aerobic exercise, whereas maintaining an energy deficit after exercise augments lipid mobilisation.

In layman’s terms, what this simply means is that certain category of foods can either make or mar your efforts at the gym.

Now, what foods should you avoid as you step out of the gym?

Sugary foods
Omotunde warns that after a rigorous workout at the gym, you must stay off any carbohydrate-laden food for the next two hours. He warns that drinking fruit juices that contain sugar — a form of carbohydrate — immediately after exercise would inhibit Human Growth Hormone.

Scientists say after aerobic exercise, HGH production increases tremendously, and it enhances the body’s ability to burn fat.

“Avoiding carbohydrate-rich foods after training will aid you to achieve your weight loss goal a lot faster, as you improve the efficiency of your fat burning metabolism,” experts counsel.

Other sugary foods to avoid include cakes, soft drinks, ice cream, cookies, chocolates, some energy bars; and some refined carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, etc.

Experts advise you to take water and naturally low-carb foods in the two hours following your workout, in order to optimise the weight loss and health benefits.

Omotunde suggests you eat foods rich in protein, fat and high fibre such as nuts, seeds, meats and vegetables.

Salty snacks
While it is true that the body needs certain amount of daily salt intake to function optimally, it is not advisable to gorge on salty foods immediately after workouts.

Omotunde says this is because in the course of exercising, you have revved up your system such that you have lost much minerals, including potassium. He adds that taking foods that have excess salt post-gym will further reduce your potassium level.

He explains, “Salt loss from working out is not the utmost concern. Rather, it is the loss of minerals such as potassium. But you can easily resolve this loss by eating a handful of dried fruit or a banana.”

Experts say bananas are high in the “good” kinds of carbs you need after a workout. “These fast-acting carbs will help restore your body’s levels of glycogen, which helps rebuild damaged muscles. And they provide lots of wonderful potassium,” experts assure.

Fatty foods
Here, Omotunde says, the culprits are the fried stuffs such as French fries, pizza, and other fast foods.

In general, fitness experts say, only a small percent of your meal should be comprised of fat. This is because the ultimate goal is to replenish your body’s glycogen (the storage form of glucose in animals and humans, which is analogous to the starch in plants) and reduce — not add to — the amount of fat your body stores.

Raw vegetables
Fitness experts say though raw vegetables have a lot to offer, health-wise, when eaten at the right time, they are simply not the body’s friends when taken immediately after a workout. “This is because, on their own, they’re just not enough,” experts warn.

Fruits and vegetables such as carrots, celery, bell peppers and broccoli do not contain enough of what the body needs, post-workout, to make it recover fast enough.

Omotunde says because they are minimal calorie foods and are therefore aren’t substantial enough to restore energy and help you maintain a healthy metabolic rate, you should combine them with other healthy foods devoid of no-no foods earlier mentioned.

To avoid eating back all the calories you work off…
Eat every 3 to 4 hours: Giving your body a steady supply of calories keeps blood sugar normal during and after exercise, and it can prevent an excessively high insulin response the next time you eat that encourages excess body fat.

Have protein at every meal: Protein increases satiety and helps keep your appetite under control by stimulating gut hormones that help you feel full. Options include eggs, milk, soya milk, yogurt, and oatmeal for breakfast. Include nuts, beans, whole grains, low-fat dairy, fish, lean meats, and poultry at other meals and snacks to ensure you get enough protein.

By the way, the anti-inflammatory omega-3’s found in salmon will help rebuild your muscles and increase performance.

Load up on fibre
Bulky foods will fill you up on fewer calories. Aim for 25 to 30g of fibre per day. Eat beans, steamed spinach, apple, nuts, pear, etc.

Pack a snack
If you’ve worked up a sweat for an hour or more, have a little something within 30 minutes of finishing, even if you don’t feel like it. You can eat turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread.

Quench your thirst with water
Exercise is more likely to increase your thirst, but many people mistake thirst for hunger. Next time you have the munchies, especially post-workout, try to satisfy your desire with calorie-free water. Sipping sweetened drinks can quickly override any calorie deficit created by working out.