Almost everyone may often feel hungry and want to eat something after exercise. Sometimes, this makes you confused about holding back hunger or even continuing to eat. However, is eating after exercise bad for the body?
Can I eat immediately after exercise?
Whatever the sport, both cardio and muscle strength training, both of them certainly use up energy. So, it’s only natural that your stomach grumbles after exercise.
This condition can put those of you who are trying to lose weight into a dilemma: do you want to choose not to eat or obey your stomach?
Actually, it’s okay if you eat after exercise. The body still needs food intake as a substitute for energy that has been drained.
However, you should give a time lag. Avoid eating food immediately, especially heavy food, as soon as you finish exercising.
No need to worry, the exercise you do is in vain. When you exercise, your body burns calories from energy reserves (glycogen) in fat and muscle.
You can eat a light protein snack 15–30 minutes to an hour after your workout to start refueling.
Eating after a workout can even help prevent muscle aches and cramps.
A study in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition also suggests consuming small portions of carbohydrates and protein every 3–4 hours after exercise. Types of Bad Food and Drink Before Starting to Exercise
Reasons to eat after exercise
Hunger after exercise is normal because the body’s energy reserves are reduced so you need to replenish it.
According to the American Council on Exercise, the following reasons can trigger hunger so it’s better to eat after exercise.
1. Appetite increases
Some people feel like eating immediately after exercise. The reason is, your appetite can increase after you do physical activity.
This increased appetite can occur as a result of not eating enough before exercise. In addition, exercise also makes blood sugar levels low, triggering hunger. Which Food is Choosing Before and After Exercise?
2. Glycogen reserves are reduced
When exercising, your body will also use energy reserves in the form of glycogen to be converted into sugar (glucose) as an energy source.
This can cause glycogen reserves to decrease so hunger arises.
For that, you need to restore it by eating after exercising.
3. Dehydration
Exercising can also cause the body to lack fluids or dehydration. This condition can occur when you don’t meet your fluid needs during exercise.
Water is generally the best liquid for keeping the body hydrated.
But if the intensity of exercise increases, you can also drink sports drinks.
The types of food that are good after exercise
There’s nothing wrong with eating after exercise, but be careful in choosing the type of food you will consume. Wrong choosing the type of food, it makes exercise in vain.
Don’t worry about your stomach growling, you can eat anything in large portions. You still have to manage and choose healthy food intake.
Eat foods with balanced nutrition between carbohydrates, proteins and fats, some examples are as follows.
1. Carbohydrates: rice, whole grain bread, sweet potatoes, potatoes, oatmeal, or fruit.
2. Protein: protein powder, protein bars, yogurt, cheese, eggs, chicken, salmon or tuna.
3. Fats: avocados, seeds, nuts, or peanut butter.
If you feel dizzy and weak after a workout, eating a sweet snack or fruit with natural sugars is enough to help restore your energy quickly.
It’s also important to meet your water needs before, during and after exercise. Not drinking enough water will have a big impact on your sports performance.
You just drink water if you exercise for less than an hour. A sports drink may be needed if you are exercising vigorously or for more than an hour.
Avoid eating high-fat foods after exercising or heavy foods after exercising.
Consuming these two types of food forces the stomach to work too hard after exercising.
To start eating heavy meals, make sure it’s about 30 to 60 minutes after exercise. This is of course with a note if it is already scheduled to eat.
It is better to consult a doctor or nutritionist to determine food intake during exercise. This is because each person’s workout and meal plan can be different.