“7 Great Post-Workout Meals You May Not Have Considered”

 Outside of breakfast, your post-workout meal is the most essential meal you’ll have all day. You’ll want to get both carbohydrates and protein in your system within 15-45 minutes of any workout, and the following 7 meals contain both those, as well some other nutritionally beneficial components. Make your post-workout meal something to look forward too!

Dried Fruit and Nuts:

Dried fruit contains almost all the nutritional benefit of fresh fruit, and is both easy to eat and delicious! The nuts in this mix offer a great hit of protein, and although it’s generally a good rule to avoid fat post-workout (it takes longer to digest then carbs or protein) nuts contain monounsaturated fats, which can actually improve your body’s ability to absorb nutrients.

Chicken Stir Fry:

This complete meal contains lean protein from the chicken, and simple, high glycemic-index carbs from rice. Veggies are always a smart choice no matter what meal your eating, and stir fry is an easy meal to make at home and bring anywhere in a Tupperware.

Cereal and Skim Milk:

This breakfast staple is also a great post-workout meal, as a number of cereals these days contain protein, carbs, and lots of vitamins and minerals. Milk is a great source of casein and whey protein, and also contains simple sugars itself.

Fruit Salad and Greek Yogurt:

This post-workout meal has become more and more popular the last few years, and for good reason. Fruit is a great source of simple carbs, and also many fruits contain anti-inflammatory properties, which can help your body recover from an intense workout. Greek yogurt has about twice the protein of regular yogurt, and is available pretty much anywhere anymore.

Quinoa Salad:

Another complete meal that is easy to make at home and bring with you during the day, Quinoa salad with beans, chopped red pepper and onion, Feta cheese and parsley all mixed with Italian dressing is loaded with protein and carbs, and is a great meal for anytime in the day.

Turkey and Cheese with an Apple:

3 slices of lean turkey wrapped around a slice of cheddar and paired with an apple is an awesome meal, and also contains about 15 grams of lean protein. Easy to make and easy to eat!

Chocolate Milk, Pickle Juice, Beer:

Number seven on our last is actually three different drinks, all of which have gained popularity (albeit in different circles) in the last few years. Chocolate milk is an instant hit of both carbs and protein (it’s often called the first protein drink), pickle juice is a favorite of high-intensity athletes who lose lots of salt while sweating, and beer is an especially rewarding source of both carbs and 2-3 grams of protein. These three choices may not make sense for every post-workout meal, but variety is important!