Here's what to eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks to fight tiredness, build muscle and fight cramps and other muscle disorders and post workout menus to inspire you
The post workout meal plays a key role in obtaining excellent results from physical activity. Providing the body with the right fuel for energy recovery after doing physical activity helps fight fatigue and stimulate muscle building and therefore lean mass. In addition, it helps integrate any deficiencies and prevents the most frequent ailments such as cramps and muscle pain. «Foods such as cereals, green leafy vegetables, eggs, fish, sources of B complex vitamins, for example, favor the production of energy essential to combat physical tiredness that can occur after training. They are involved in the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates and proteins ", explains the nutritionist Nicoletta Bocchino, which suggests what to eat in the post-workout meal to best optimize your workout results.
If you play sports early in the morning
For a balanced and healthy post-workout breakfast you can treat yourself to a share of carbohydrates such as bread or orange juice or a banana together with the complete proteins of yogurt and the "good" fats of dried fruit (almonds, walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, etc.) . "They will help you fight fatigue after training and make sure that proteins are better available for your muscles. They also supply essential amino acids such as tryptophan and tyrosine that facilitate the brain's release of dopamine, adrenaline and norepinephrine, neurotransmitters that reduce the feeling of fatigue that occurs following physical exertion ", explains the nutritionist.
If you go to the gym at lunchtime
Yes to a quick post-workout lunch based on complete proteins and calcium, allies of muscle and bone health. The winning combination? Cottage cheese, lettuce and rye sandwich. «Ricotta is rich in essential essential amino acids for the development and maintenance of muscle mass. Lettuce, on the other hand, is a good source of valuable antioxidants that fight free radicals produced during intense physical activity, responsible for oxidative stress. It also provides vitamin C, essential in the production of collagen, a protein from which bones, tendons and cartilages are made, essential for the functioning and flexibility of the joints and to counteract the pain that can arise after exercising due to excessive effort. , Explains the expert. "The complex carbohydrates of rye bread provide the body with long-lasting energy."
If you train in the afternoon
Yes to a snack after training based on simple sugars. A few examples? A seasonal fruit and a small square of cheese or a yogurt. "They allow you to recover energy quickly." Then adds the nutritionist: "Kiwis and bananas for example ensure a great variety of minerals that help counteract post-workout fatigue. In fact, they bring high quantities of magnesium and potassium which allow the minerals lost through sweating to be replenished and to counteract muscle cramps that may occur after training. Dairy products, on the other hand, are good sources of high biological value proteins, allies for muscle health .
If you do training in the evening
If you go to the gym after work and have dinner late, be careful not to overdo it with calories and quantities before going to sleep. The risk? Having difficulty falling asleep and resting badly with effects on the line and on health. "Sleeping a few hours a night, for example, promotes greater production of the hunger hormone called ghrelin. Physical activity practiced in the hours preceding sleep in itself has an activating effect on the brain. In fact, it promotes the release of adrenaline, a hormone that stimulates wakefulness , explains nutritionist Nicoletta Bocchino. In order not to take risks, yes to a light evening meal based on easily digestible proteins combined with a plate of seasonal vegetables and some cereals. A typical menu? Bresaola, rocket and whole wheat bread or basmati brown rice. «Bresaola provides proteins that give satiety without weighing it down. Arugula is rich instead of B vitamins and tryptophan, involved in the production of hormones that regulate the sleep-wake rhythm such as serotonin. Whole wheat bread and rice ensure fiber that prolongs satiety and complex carbohydrates that promote relaxation ".
