Why Your Body Needs Protein After A Workout

When working out, you put your muscles through a lot. The more strenuous the exercise, the more your muscles will likely need to recover over time. While rest and consistency in workouts are a great way to build upon your progress and make your body stronger, you can help things along with a certain diet. Specifically, protein after a workout is a great way to strengthen your body and your muscles. No matter the type of workout you’re doing—something light or something rather active—a meal or snack chocked full or protein is a great choice once you’re done.

Basics: What is Protein? 

To begin, a quick rundown on what protein is will be helpful. Protein is an imperative part of a healthy diet. Amino acids, which make up proteins, are the building blocks of your body and of life. With this information, it should start to make sense why protein is such an important part of your diet. Though the proteins people eat and the proteins that make up the body are different, they are all made up of some combination of 20 amino acids. Nine of these acids are known as “essential acids” and consist of the following:

• Phenylalanine

• Valine

• Threonine

• Tryptophan

• Methionine

• Leucine

• Isoleucine

• Lysine

• Histidine

Once you eat and digest protein, the amino acids within them are used as the building blocks your body needs to both create and repair tissues in the body. In short, proteins keep your body going and are necessary to building optimal health.

Benefits of Protein Post-Workout

During your workout, you are actively tearing and breaking apart muscle fibers. This is done to help your muscles grow and get stronger, but it can take a serious toll on the body over time. As discussed, protein is good for building up tissues and fibers, making them stronger and increasing elasticity over time. Due to this, eating protein after a workout actually increases the impact of exercise while also helping to repair muscles, maintain them, and push them to grow. Those who are exercising regularly but find they aren’t building any muscle can chalk this up to a low-protein diet.

The body is also continually breaking down proteins just as part of everyday bodily functions. With this in mind, including a good amount of protein in your diet should always be a necessity.

How to Get More Protein in Your Post-Workout Diet

The type of protein you eat after a workout isn’t as important as providing your body with protein. This means that whether you’re eating a hard-boiled egg or drinking a glass of chocolate milk, it doesn’t really matter to your muscles. Whatever foods you choose, a good rule of thumb is to provide only 10-20 grams of protein for your muscles. Too much protein can become a problem, so be careful.

Of course, the type of protein you consume does matter to the rest of your diet, especially if you’re trying to lose fat while you build muscle. With this in mind, a great protein-packed diet that won’t disrupt your progress could consist of the following post-workout snacks:

• Whey Protein: Whey protein is a popular option because it digests quickly, provides a good amount of amino acids, and is the recommended 20 grams of protein. Add whey protein to a shake with other ingredients such as peanut butter and bananas for a refreshing on the go protein-recharge.

• Nutrition Bars: Nutrition bars are another great option because they come with carbs, sugars, and healthy fats to help your body recharge. Depending upon the vigor of your workout, simple protein is not enough. Carbohydrates, sodium, sugar, and more are needed to give your body much of what it has lost during the workout. Nutrition bars with cocoa, berries, oats, and nuts are all great choices.

• Meat, Cheese, and Fruit: Lean meats and cheeses are a great way to add protein to your body after a workout. There are actually convenient protein packs that come with lean meats like chicken, turkey, or bacon bits, cheese, and fruit or nuts to provide a quick burst of energy when you need it.

• Rice Cakes: Rice cakes are a versatile snack that can add some protein to your diet easily and efficiently. Add peanut butter, bananas, berries, or even yogurt on top to make a tasty treat that’s also healthy and lean.

There are more protein snacks and meals where these came from, but these should hopefully give you some ideas on how to easily add protein to your diet. No matter the type of workout you do, take care of your muscles by adding protein to your post-workout routine. Your muscles will repair themselves faster, grow stronger, and last longer with this simple but effective practice.