Nutrition & food for muscle recovery post-workout

Regardless of your fitness goals, prioritising post-workout recovery is crucial. Consuming the best foods for muscle recovery ensures you get the proper balance of macronutrients and micronutrients needed to repair and refuel your body after exercise. In this article, we've compiled the best post-workout food options and supplements to support muscle function.

Muscle recovery post-workout

Each time you work out, you create small tears in your muscle tissues. During the repair phase, these microscopic tears heal and grow back stronger. To support muscle recovery after a workout, it's essential to follow a diet rich in the right muscle recovery foods, including protein, carbohydrates, and micronutrients. Additionally, incorporating practices such as stretching and massage can further enhance the recovery process.

Should you eat post-workout?

Although you don’t have to eat immediately after exercise, it is important to try and eat within two hours of finishing a workout. This helps muscles to recover and also replenishes their stores of glycogen (carbohydrates) which will have been used up during exercise. Consuming adequate protein is also important for both the maintenance and growth of muscle mass.

Plus, many post-workout foods contain essential vitamins and minerals to support muscles and overall health and wellbeing. Sports and fitness supplements can help to support a healthy diet, and will help plug any nutrient gaps in your diet.

A well-balanced diet, including some of the following foods, could be helpful to support muscle recovery.

Best foods for muscle recovery post-workout

Wholegrain bread and cereals

Carbohydrates are the body’s main source of energy, and wholegrain bread and cereals are filled with carbohydrates to help support muscle recovery post-workout. In particular, wholegrains contain complex carbohydrates, which release energy more slowly. Wholegrain bread and cereals also contain B vitamins. These can help support muscles after exercise. Vitamin B6, B12, niacin (vitamin B3) and pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) for example all contribute to normal energy release and the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. Wholegrains contain the mineral copper too which contributes to the maintenance of normal connective tissues.

Sweet potatoes

This orange root vegetable is packed with goodness, and is a great post-workout food option. Sweet potatoes contain high levels of carbohydrates as well as vitamin C, which contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.. Vitamin C also contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.

Berries 

Although they might be mini, berries such as raspberries and blueberries are seriously mighty! Berries contain vitamin C, which as well as the benefits mentioned above, also contributes to the normal formation of collagen for the normal function of cartilage and bones. Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body.

Eggs

Eggs contain protein, an essential macronutrient needed for muscle development. Other good sources of protein include chicken, turkey, lean beef and tofu. Eggs aren’t just beneficial for their protein content; they also contain other important nutrients including vitamin B12, which contributes to normal energy release and vitamin D, which contributes to the normal function of the immune system.

Bananas

This bright yellow fruit is high in carbohydrates for energy post-workout, plus, bananas are also high in the mineral potassium which contributes to normal function of the nervous system, and normal muscle function. The beauty of bananas is that they’re incredibly versatile. Mix into a smoothie, slice up and enjoy on toast, or cut in half and spread with peanut butter.

Seeds

Seeds, including chia seeds and sunflower seeds, contain some protein, to help with muscle recovery, as well as an abundance of other nutrients. Seeds are high in B vitamins plus they contain magnesium which contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue and the maintenance of normal muscle function.

Best post-workout snacks

There are lots of different post-workout snacks which can help support muscle recovery after exercise. Here’s some of the best post-workout snacks you can try…

1. Smoothie filled with oats, banana and berries. Add a scoop of protein powder for extra muscle support!
2. Cottage cheese on top of a sweet potato. Cottage cheese contains protein as well as vitamin B12.
3. Eggs - either poached, scrambled or boiled- on wholegrain toast.
4. Wholegrain crackers topped with peanut butter.
5. A bowl of wholegrain cereal or oats, topped with Greek yoghurt, seeds and fruit.

Our best supplements for sport and exercise 

To ensure you get the right nutrients, supplements specially formulated for sport and exercise can be helpful.

Wellman Sport, aimed at men, includes 27 nutrients that support performance, including iron which contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. This formula contains vitamins B6, B12 and riboflavin (vitamin B2) which contribute to normal energy release and red blood cell formation. It also includes copper, iron, zinc and vitamin C and D which contribute to the normal function of the immune system. Wellman Sport also contains magnesium, which contributes to normal electrolyte balance and normal muscle function.

Wellwoman Sport for women, includes 28 nutrients that support performance, including iron which contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. It also contains vitamin B6 and B12 which contribute to normal energy release and red blood cell formation. Wellwoman sport also doubles up as a comprehensive multivitamin to support general health and vitality - including vitamin D which supports normal immune system function. Wellwoman Sport also contains magnesium, which contributes to normal electrolyte balance and normal muscle function.

Foods not to eat post-workout

As well as the best foods to eat post-workout, there are also several foods which might be best to avoid post-workout:

• Biscuits, sweets and chocolate - Although they might be tasty, these foods are high in refined sugar which won’t help your muscles. These foods will likely also give you a quick blast of energy, but this will be short lived as you may experience an energy crash shortly after.

• Fried foods such as chips and crisps - These foods contain high levels of saturated and trans fat which, when eaten in excess, are not good for your body and may negatively impact your muscles as they lack the necessary nutrients.

• Alcohol - After exercise, it’s best to steer clear of alcoholic drinks as alcohol may inhibit muscle repair.

Extra muscle recovery tips 

There are several other ways you can support muscles after a workout.

-Cool down with stretches - Be sure to stretch your muscles to stop them from seizing up after exercise. Devote 10 minutes to static stretches (still stretches) and aim to hold each stretch for 20 to 30 seconds.

- Prioritise sleep - It’s when we’re sleeping that our body repairs itself, and this includes muscles. Make sure you aim for seven to nine hours of good quality sleep each night.

-Try a massage - You could book in to see a professional for a sports massage, to help ease tight muscles, however a foam roller or massage gun can also be helpful and more practical for day-to-day use.

-Compression and cold - Compression leggings, sleeves and socks can help improve blood flow to support muscle recovery after workouts. As well as compression, if you’re feeling brave, you could try cold water immersion!

Caring for muscles post-workout is important so that you can keep moving comfortably after exercise.

The correct nutrition is vital to support muscle recovery, plus there are also several vitamins for energy to help reduce tiredness and fatigue after exercise. Sports and fitness supplements can also help to safeguard your intake of important nutrients.