5 Best Post Workout Meals

At some point in your fitness journey, I am almost certain that you have learned about ‘how crucial’ post-workout nutrition is for the ‘anabolic window’ and maximal muscle recovery.

Truth be told, if you have eaten within 3 hrs of exercise, post-workout meals are not as important as we previously thought, as essential amino acids are likely still floating around within the bloodstream.

Nevertheless, post-workout meals can be useful, especially if you have not eaten in a while or if you engage in long, grueling training sessions.

For this reason, we have discussed the five best post-workout meals in our opinion.

We start by highlighting each individual food source that is included in the meal and then discuss its relevance. This is followed by giving an overview of the ingredients needed, preparation instructions, and the nutritional value.

Please note that this article is intended to give you guidance and not a personalized nutrition plan of any sort.

Post-workout Recovery Meal Replacement Shake

If you have ever read one of our previous articles, you should be well aware that we are huge proponents of whey protein. We consider whey as the ‘best’ protein source for muscle protein synthesis (muscle building/recovery).

To max out this post-exercise muscle-building/recovery threshold, we are looking at two scoops of whey protein powder at the most.

And YES, Whey is food, it is basically the byproduct of cheese, which is then put through a variety of processes to form a flavored powder. The bioavailability of whey is unmatched, meaning it is ‘absorbed’ really well by the body. Not to mention, it is of the highest quality, consisting of 11% of the muscle-building branched-chain amino acid leucine.

If you have not already guessed, whey protein powder is the first ingredient in our post-workout recovery shake, as it can spike and max out the muscle recovery response.

Whey alone can raise the muscle recovery response for no longer than 3 hrs. However, if we pour in some milk, it could be slowed down for an additional hour or so. In turn, this means muscle recovery mode is boosted.

Why so? Approximately 80% of the protein within milk is casein, which has been shown to be slower absorbing.

The last batch of ingredients includes bananas, raspberries, strawberries, and honey. Not only do these make the flavor of the shake epic, but they also spike the nutrition profile to new heights.

Once consumed, the carbohydrates within these ingredients are broken down and stored as muscle glycogen for energy and recovery. Sports and activities can burn anywhere from 40-90% of your energy stores, highlighting the importance of consuming carbohydrates post-activity to prepare you for upcoming activities.

Give or take, the literature is pointing in the direction of 1g of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight immediately after high-intensity or long-duration activity. So, for a 70 kg individual (154lb), we should aim for 70g of carbohydrates.

Moreover, these ingredients act as antioxidants to reduce inflammation caused by a grueling exercise bout, thereby boosting recovery further.

Last but not least, these ingredients are packed with fiber and micronutrients (vitamins/minerals), crucial for a variety of bodily functions and general health.

Ingredients Overview

1-2 scoops of Whey Protein Powder
250-400ml of milk
1-2 large bananas
150g strawberries
150g raspberries
1 tbsp honey

Preparation Instructions

Step 1: Pour the milk into a blender

Step 2: Add the whey protein powder to the milk

Step 3: Break up the fruits and add them to the blender

Step 4: Drizzle the honey on top of the fruit

Step 5: Blend all of the ingredients into shake

Step 6: Pour the content into a large shaker cup

Step 7: Optionally, apply the shaker lid on top of the cup before consuming

Ideally, you would pick the serving size that suits your needs. For example, if you weigh between 55-70 kg (121-154 lb), the regular recovery shake may be a better fit. For larger individuals between 70-100kg (165-220 lb,) the large recovery shake may work.

Chicken, Rice & Vegetables

Would you agree that chicken and rice are the first meal that pops into our minds when we think about nutrition for health and fitness?

All for good reasons, as chicken breast is packed with protein! An average-sized breast contains a whopping 40g of protein, yet it is very low in fat. Without a doubt, chicken breast is a top 10 protein source for muscle recovery.

Basmati rice is a great carbohydrate source, which can help restore any lost glycogen from exercise.

Additionally, a portion of mixed vegetables compliments the meal and increases the vitamin and mineral content to help with muscle inflammation and general health.

Ingredients Overview

½ – 1 medium-sized chicken breast (82-165g)
¼ – ½ cup uncooked basmati rice (52-105g)
½ cup frozen mixed vegetables (75g)
1 tbsp olive oil

Preparation Instructions

Step 1: Heat up a grill pan on low-medium heat

Step 2: drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil on top of the pan

Step 3: Place the seasoned chicken breast on top of the pan

Step 4: Meanwhile, pour water into two boiling pots, then place them on a stove at medium heat

Step 5: Place the rice into the boiling pot and leave for 15-20 minutes

Step 6: Place the frozen mixed vegetables into the other boiling pot for 7-10 minutes

Step 7: Flip the chicken breast at the after grilling for 7-8 minutesStep 8: Once all of the content is cooked, place them onto a plate ready to eat

Jacket Potato With Tuna Mayo

Tuna fish is another high quality protein source, and the potato offers some wholesome, starchy carbohydrates. The jacket potato is very deciduous and nutritious, yet so quick and easy to prepare.

Ingredients Overview

1 Medium – Large potato
1-1.5 tins of tuna
3 tbsp of light mayonnaise
½ tsp of black pepper
A dash of Himalayan salt

Preparation Instructions

Step 1: Wash your potato and pierce deep holes around it using a fork

Step 2: Place the potato into the microwave for 7-10 minutes, depending on its size

Step 3: Meanwhile, Open and drain the tuna tins and place the content into a bowl

Step 4: Dollop the mayonnaise into the tuna and mix thoroughly using a spoon

Step 5: Dash in the salt and pepper and mix again

Step 6: Retrieve the potato from the microwave and plate it up

Step 7: Cut vertically down the center of the potato to create a ‘jacket’

Step 8: Stuff the potato with the tuna content, ready-to-eat

Hard Boiled Eggs With Raw Asparagus

We could not put an article about the best post-workout meals for recovery and forget about the keto crowd. Hard boiled eggs are protein and fat dense, with a minimum amount of carbohydrates.

This meal will undoubtedly peak muscle recovery without throwing you out of ketosis and fatty acid oxidation.

Ingredients Overview

3-7 large whole eggs
Dash of Himalayan salt and pepper
3 spears of raw asparagus

Preparation Instructions

Step 1: Rinse the asparagus under cold water and clean it thoroughly

Step 2: Cut off the woody ends of the asparagus and dry it

Step 3: Place the prepared asparagus on a plate

Step 4: Meanwhile, pour water into a boiling pot, then place it on a stove at medium heat

Step 5: Gently place the eggs in the boiling pot for around 10 minutes

Step 6: once boiled, spill the water into the sink and over a sieve to collect the eggs

Step 7: Gently crack and peel the eggs

Step 8: Place the peeled eggs in a bowl with the asparagus, then sprinkle salt and pepper over them

Blueberry Yogurt & A Whey Drink

Flavored yogurt and whey have to be my all-time favorite post-workout meal. This meal provides all of the muscle recovery benefits but is the simplest to prepare.

You would simply mix some whey protein powder with water and eat a prepared flavored blueberry yogurt to provide carbohydrates, micronutrients, antioxidants, and some casein.

Ingredients Overview

1-2 scoops whey
300-450g of blueberry yogurt
200-300 ml of cold water

Preparation Instructions

Step 1: Shake up 1-2 scoops of whey protein with 200-300ml of water to drink

Step 2: Grab your yogurt, rip the lid off, and pour it into a bowl to eat with a spoon

Conclusion

All in all, a post-workout meal can help to boost muscle recovery, restore muscle glycogen, reduce muscle inflammation and provide a rich amount of micronutrients for general health and wellbeing.

Post-workout meals are more important in some circumstances, i.e., being in a fasted state or if you have not eaten in a while.

Nevertheless, feel free to try one of the post-workout meals that we have discussed above.