Snacking 101: How to Get the Most from Your Workout

By Sarah-Jane Bedwell,SELF magazine

Does your New Year's resolution involve exercise and getting fit? Doing both cardiovascular and strength exercises are important, but did you know that what you eat after a workout can be just as important as the workout itself in terms of getting results? If you don't eat or drink something that contains protein and carbohydrate within about 30 minutes of finishing an intense workout, your muscle may begin to break itself down for fuel rather than rebuild. Consuming something with both protein and carbohydrate is important because protein helps rebuild the muscles and carbohydrate helps replace your glycogen stores (energy stores). The ideal ratio of carbohydrate to protein for a post-workout snack is 4 to 1.

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You probably also know that rehydrating after your workout is important, but remember if you are sweating during a workout that lasts over an hour, you will not only need to replace your fluids, but also your electrolytes (sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium), which are lost in the sweat and are important for healthy heart and muscle function. You may be worried, though, that all this refueling and rehydrating will undo all your hard work in the gym by loading you up with more calories post-workout than you even burned during the workout. This can happen, but not if you make a smart choice for your post-workout snack.

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Here are some tips for smart refueling:

1. Choose a nutrient-rich food that is dense with multiple nutrients mentioned above, not dense in calories.
One of my favorite post-workout snacks (it's great for any time of day!) is low-fat chocolate milk. With only about 150 calories per 8oz., it gives you a great bang for your calorie buck! I like refueling with low fat chocolate milk because not only does it taste great, but it also contains the perfect ratio of carbohydrate to protein for a post-workout snack. If you are a morning exerciser, refuel with a smart breakfast that has both carbohydrates and protein like a smoothie made with low fat yogurt and fruit, a bowl of whole grain cereal with low fat milk, or a peanut butter and banana sandwich on whole grain bread. If you are an evening exerciser, try a light dinner post-workout like fish, veggies, and whole grain brown rice. Can't have it ready 30 minutes after you finish your workout? Snack on a small handful of nuts and dried fruit on the way home from the gym or while fixing your dinner.

2. Consume adequate fluids before during and after your workout.
You should aim to drink 14-22 ounces prior to exercising, 6-12 ounces of fluid during exercise, every 30 minutes, and after exercising drink at least 16 ounces for every pound of sweat lost during exercise (to figure this out, you need to weigh yourself immediately before and immediately after exercise, any pounds lost are water that needs to be replaced). Water is always a great choice, if you do cardio for an hour or more though, rehydrate with an electrolyte-containing beverage like coconut water, a sports drink, or low fat milk.

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3. Skip the supplements.
Sports shakes and supplements are generally a very expensive way to get the protein and other nutrients that many healthy foods (like the ones mentioned above) contain naturally. Plus, you can't be sure of the safety of these supplements as they are not tested by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This is why many collegiate and professional athletes are turning away from special supplements and shakes and using real food to refuel after workouts. So enjoy a smart snack after your next trip to the gym to get the most out of your workout!

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