Post workout nutrition is an important factor in maximizing the benefits of your exercise program as well as improving your overall health.

A good fitness plan includes both exercise and proper nutrition. To increase the effectiveness of your workout and achieve the results you want, you must not ignore the importance of giving your body the nutrients it needs to repair, recover, and stay strong.

Exercise burns a lot of metabolic fuels, particularly amino acids and glycogen, which are energy stores that the body needs in order to carry out physical activity. After an intense workout, it is essential that you replenish this fuel so that your body is able to recover, repair damaged tissues, and build muscle. Since muscles are most receptive right after a workout, it is best to replace these nutrients within 90 minutes of completing your exercise program. This window of opportunity is the time frame when your body is best able to absorb lost vitamins and minerals, and use them most effectively to help you get the results you desire from your workout.

Regardless of which exercise program you choose, post workout nutrition is a key factor in helping your body recover and achieving your goals faster. So, what does your body need and which nutrients should be replenished?

Protein: Protein is vital for muscle repair and growth, and to receive the most benefits, it is important that you choose a quality source that is easily and quickly digested. While eggs and meat are high in protein, they are whole foods and are digested much too slowly for optimum effectiveness. Remember, your body needs to be replenished within 60-90 minutes following your workout. While it is still good to include these foods in your diet, the best post exercise choice is a whey protein shake or a recovery drink designed specifically for replacing lost nutrients.

Carbohydrates: Both simple and complex carbohydrates are needed to replenish energy and restore muscle glycogen levels. Glycogen is a carbohydrate that is stored as glucose and is used by the body for energy during intensive workouts. Low glycogen can affect your endurance, causing you to tire more easily while exercising, and failing to replenish levels can actually have a reverse effect by forcing the body to breakdown muscle tissue to create more glucose. Also, an intake of carbohydrates following a workout will cause your insulin levels to spike which will help move nutrients into the muscles more quickly, giving you the best results. So, if you want the most from your workout, make sure you are replacing those important carbs! And again, since whole foods are digested more slowly, nutritional shakes or recovery drinks are recommended.

Vitamins and Minerals: Your post workout nutrition plan should include vitamins and minerals that are essential to proper recovery and health. It is important to replace electrolytes which are necessary for re-hydration, muscle and nerve function, and the repair of damaged tissue. Your shakes or recovery drinks should also contain creatin for increased muscle energy, and antioxidants that fight free radicals, build immunity, and prevent muscle soreness. Many post exercise nutrition programs also suggest consuming vitamin B which is a key factor in carbohydrate metabolism and proper muscle nerve function, as well as amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein and necessary for healthy muscles.

An exercise program can offer many benefits, but proper nutrition is essential to maintaining good health and achieving the best results from your workout. Proteins contribute to muscle repair and growth, carbohydrates restore energy and replace glycogen stores, and important vitamins and minerals can prevent muscle soreness and help build a healthy, strong body.