So many individuals participate in workouts in order to lose weight, but I cannot even begin to tell you how many times I've heard that working out makes me more hungry. This can be seen as a sick mind-game that your body is playing with your head, but in reality it's your body telling your head it still deserves diva star attention.
So as many of us do those what-seems-like-millions of squats and lunges to shape the booty. We are torching the calories and burning the fat so it can be used as energy. But it is important to consider what kinds of calories we are burning. As stated in a previous blog, calories are fuel and our fuel comes from the different resources we eat. Typically they come in forms of fats, carbohydrates, or proteins. Fats are the hardest to burn. We discussed that high intensity exercises with interval training is a good way to get at them. Carbs and proteins are easier to burn because we use them in everyday activities. Carbs are simpler for our bodies to breakdown, but it is important to know that some carbohydrates are simpler than others. For example, when you hear people choosing brown rice over white rice they are choosing the simpler carb-- meaning that this carbohydrate is easier for your body to use as energy. Conversely, proteins are important because they assist you in building and repairing muscle which is especially important in any kind of strength training work out. According to Weight Watchers website, 'A relatively high-carbohydrate, moderate protein, low-fat meal is best to consume with exercise...Protein is important for muscle building and repair, but in order to lift those weights you need carbohydrates for energy.'
On every food label you see how many carbohydrates and proteins are available in each serving. But when looking for a pre/post work out snack how do you know what to choose. According to CalorieCounter.com a 'pre workout meal is the meal that plays the largest role in supplying your body with everything it will need to ensure optimal performance during your workout. And the post workout meal plays the largest role in supplying your body with everything it will need to repair, replenish, recover and adapt to the training stimulus that you just provided during your workout.' Essentially both of these meals should consist of an almost even carbs:protein ratio. (Pre workout ratio should be even, but post workout carbs should be less than proteins). However, it is important to note that pre work out meals are less recommended if you are exercising less than 45 minutes you may not be burning enough calories to create a deficiet with a pre workout meal. Also commonly pre workout meals can cause issues with digestion. One thing that is so important to mention is that pre/post exercise meals are calories that you include in your recommended daily intake. They do not cancel out your alloted calories per day because you worked out. This is why it is important to consider what foods are most optimal to eat pre/post workout.
According to Shape.come 'Eating immediately after you finish a workout will be used for good (repair and recovery) and not bad (fat storage). In fact, your body's ability to refill muscle energy stores decreases by 50 percent if you wait to eat just 2 hours after your workout compared to eating right away. Eating after your workout may also increase your body’s insulin sensitivity or its ability to use carbohydrates—an important factor for weight loss and health) for the following 24 hours.' This means that eating after working out is the most optimal time for your body. Your body is ready to breakdown sugars which contributes to your insulin sensitivity. This is helpful to consider when you are managing diabetes. So all this hype about post workout meal sounds great, but it doesnt mean you can eat anything your round booty desires...
A lot of websites recommend a recovery drink. Recovery drinks are great because they are easy to make and have the perfect carb:protein ratio. I personally dont like recovery drinks because they take away anywhere from 300-500+ of my daily calories and waste it on a drink! I still want to be able to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner without going to bed starving. So what I recommend is working in your recovery food into a meal. You really want to make sure that your meal provides you with protein so that you are not starving at the end of the day. You also want to make sure you have some kind of carbs because otherwise you will feel exhausted which could also cause you to eat more. Caloriecounter.com recommends that within 30 min you what to eat something with this kind of ratio:
Protein = 0.25g per pound of your target body weight.
Carbs = 0.25-0.5g per pound of your target body weight.
I'm personally a big fan of egg/meat sandwiches. You get your protein from eggs and/or meat, and your carbs from the bread which makes a very nice breakfast or sandwich at lunch. However if planning a meal is too inconvenient for you or you have extra calories to spare (I did when I was training for a 1/2 marathon) I recommend mixing a protein powder into a fruit smoothie. My favorite recipe came from my brother, Marcus, which is a good lower fat once.
1 scoop protein power
1/2 banana
Handful of almonds
Ice/water
1-2 tbsp of honey
So next time you feel starving after working out think about what you are eating. Maybe looking at your carbs and protein ratio will help your body recover better. This may eventually lead to you carrying less junk in your trunk as long as you cont. consider calorie intake.
References
Roussell, M. Ask the Diet Doctor: The Best Post-Workout Snack. Shape.com. Available at http://www.shape.com/weight-loss/weight-loss-strategies/ask-diet-doctor-best-post-workout-snack
Bergman, M. and Leibrock A.Body Fuel: What to Eat Before a Workout. Weight Watchers.com. Available at http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=43791&sc=3022
Pre and post workout meal- What to eat before and after working out. Acaloriecounter.com. Available at
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