What's an ideal snack/meal after a workout?

I looked back a few months before I posted this. Sometimes I have a shake at the gym since it’s already broken down and should absorb quicker (at least by my own logic I think it would) but when I get home, instead of having one of those shakes, what’s an ideal snack or meal? Something high in protein to help recovery and repair muscle tissue? Carbs to replenish energy? What do some of you like to use?

i do chocolate protein in milk w/ cereal.

arnold used to go home, have a steak and a 6 pack of beer.

Ice cream :)

Gainer as fast as possible (probably right before taking a shower in the gym) and a meal when I get home. – I used to drink lots and lots of chocolate milk but its feels very different. And seems to work much worse. – I normally feel the energy spreading into my legs when I drink a gainer or a good energy drink (so to my legs, it seems to work better) this sense is some thing I developed from cycling. And I still have this sense when I need calories in my cycling muscles (the quads), even when I don’t cycle any more, I find these body senses one can develop kind of interesting.

I like to have a banana and some peanut butter or something else with protein like a serving size of almonds or cashews. I like bananas because they really fill me up and satisfy me. Another good thing to do, especially after doing strength training and pilates or excersisinglike that, drink a lot of water. It will help with the electolytes (sp? lol) in the body that was used up excersising. Hope this kinda helps! :)

You need carbs after a workout! So it’s a great opportunity to have some whole wheat bread or some sugar.

Lowfat chocolate milk is one of the best recovery drinks you can have – perfect balance of fat, carbs, and protein for after a workout. And it’s inexpensive! In the US, make sure you get one made w/o HFCS.

I also like to have some whole wheat pita and hummus. Feels decadent since I don’t usually eat a lot of bread. I’m sure whole wheat toast with peanut butter would be good as well.

You can also have fruit with greek yogurt or even a sandwich (meat) on whole wheat bread.

Brie is right that bananas make a good post-workout snack (or ingredient in a shake), as they are high in potassium, which is an electrolyte lost during particularly hard exercise.

The local college’s football strength trainer gives the guys lowfat chocolate milk after a workout. I’m drinking an EAS low carb shake and a bunch o’ water.

Dave

Thank you all for the responses, I appreciate the input. I’m going food shopping tomorrow and will be reading labels to find the best fits. Thanks!

Keep in mind that fats slow the digestion of other foods, so it would be optimum to get protein and healthy carbs and save the fat for a later meal.

Whey + fat free dairy (dry milk, yogurt, etc) made into a shake (add fruit as your diet allows) for example, is a winning combination, and gets into your system quite quickly.

Personally, I have a Light ’n Fit carb control smoothie… 3g of carbs, 5g of protein, 60cals. (I eat it before breakfast)

You need some carbs and protein soon after a workout. Stay away from the low-carb options at that time. Also a bad time to take in any fats as MalkavianX suggested. Bananas are good there with a fast digesting protein.

After a work out You should intake a protein and carbohydrates. Stay away from fats because fats slow digestion. Protein and carbohydrates are fast digesting and help the repair process. Some food suggestions are whey protein shakes, apples, specialty drinks from wellness stores, tuna, egg whites, whole wheat bread, baked potatoe (naked). Hope this helps! Good luck to all.

Banana + Milk