the muscle. The rate of carbohydrate ingestion which optimises recovery and maximises the rate of glycogen resynthesis has been pinpointed to plateau at ~1.

Image Credit: Unsplash copyright free. Bear in mind that matching your carb intake to your activity level is important. On hard, heavy training days, a higher intake of carbohydrates is warranted, whereas a lower amount might be better on lighter, easier training days. Including some protein in your post-exercise meal helps repair exercise-induced damage to tissues, like muscle, and may help accelerate the uptake of carbohydrates.

For most people, supplementation i. protein shakes, powders is not needed. Adequate recovery can be achieved without consuming super high amounts of protein, but some is definitely helpful.

Research which has looked specifically at the post-exercise period has shown that around 20 grams of protein maximises results. The one caveat of this was athletes with higher levels of muscle mass who might benefit from an intake of up to 40 grams.

Image Credit: Pexels copyright free. When making food choices, remember that protein can come from many different sources and mixing up your protein intake with some high- and low-fat sources can help to hit high and low calorie days depending on your demand.

The timing of post-exercise feeding is a hot topic. This concept for carbohydrates was first introduced in the s by Sports Scientist, John Ivy. His research team saw a significant increase in the rate of glycogen storage when carbohydrates were fed immediately after exercise compared to a two hour delay.

This finding sparked the idea that athletes could capitalize on their recovery if they took advantage of this early window of opportunity. In practice this means that only an athlete looking to train or compete within that first eight-hour post-exercise period would benefit from rapid feeding.

Come the next day, our glycogen stores will have readjusted to the same level again and should be good to go. Under these circumstances, opting for carbohydrates with a high glycemic index GI is advantageous. High GI carbohydrates are foods which are broken down rapidly and affect your blood sugar levels quickly.

Examples might include white bread, cakes and other sweet treats, fruit juices and most breakfast cereals. It might also mean fast food.

An interesting study investigated the differences upon glycogen replenishment and exercise performance when athletes recovered with the same macronutrient carb, fat and protein profile but compared marketed specialised sports supplements versus fast food. Image Credit: Jonathan Borba via Unsplash copyright free.

After four hours of recovery, both strategies initiated the same glycogen restoration and time trial performance showed no differences. Sucrose may be a particularly valuable carb source. Composed of fructose and glucose, sucrose is able to effectively restore both the muscle and liver glycogen levels.

Don't forget to drink fluids. You need to have enough fluids before, during and after exercise to help prevent dehydration.

Water is generally the best way to replace lost fluids. But if you're exercising for more than 60 minutes, try a sports drink. Sports drinks can help keep your body's electrolyte balance.

And they can give you a bit more energy because they have carbohydrates in them. Remember that the length and intensity of your activity can help you decide how often and what you should eat and drink.

For example, you'll need more energy from food to run a marathon than to run or walk a few miles. And try not to add any new products in your diet before a sports event that lasts a long time. It's best to have tried the products before the event to see how your system handles the food.

When it comes to eating and exercise, everyone is different. So notice how you feel during your workout and how your overall performance is affected by what you eat. Let your experience guide you on which pre- and post-exercise eating habits work best for you.

Think about keeping a journal to see how your body reacts to meals and snacks so that you can change your diet for your best performance. There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Sign up for free and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips, current health topics, and expertise on managing health.

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Healthy Lifestyle Fitness. Sections Basics Fitness basics Stretching and flexibility Aerobic exercise Strength training Sports nutrition In-Depth Expert Answers Multimedia Resources News From Mayo Clinic What's New. Products and services.

Eating and exercise: 5 tips to maximize your workouts Knowing when and what to eat can make a difference in your workouts. By Mayo Clinic Staff. Enlarge image Breakfast Close. Breakfast A healthy breakfast might include cereal and fruit.

Enlarge image Smoothie Close. Smoothie A smoothie can be a good snack. Enlarge image Yogurt and fruit Close. Yogurt and fruit Yogurt and fruit can be good options for food choices after you exercise.

Enlarge image Water Close. Water Drinking fluids such as water before, during and after your workout can help prevent dehydration. Thank you for subscribing! Sorry something went wrong with your subscription Please, try again in a couple of minutes Retry.

Show references Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and athletic performance. Duyff RL. Eat smart for sports. In: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Complete Food and Nutrition Guide.

New York, N. Water and healthier drinks. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed Aug. Miller M, et al. Sports nutrition. In: DeLee, Drez, and Miller's Orthopaedic Sports Medicine: Principles and Practice.

Elsevier; Accessed July 29, Products and Services The Mayo Clinic Diet Online A Book: The Mayo Clinic Diet Bundle. See also Performance-enhancing drugs: Know the risks Daily water requirement. Mayo Clinic Press Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic Press.

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ART Healthy Lifestyle Fitness In-Depth Eating and exercise 5 tips to maximize your workouts.