The Best Foods To Fuel Your Body Post-Workout
I get it, sis. You just worked your tail off with a workout where you felt you could literally feel your calories burning off for good. But the work doesn't end there. While we're all trying to channel our inner Tracee Ellis Ross and Angela Bassett, a solid workout isn't enough. Even if you feel like you just did all the cardio in the world. What you eat after your workout can play a major part in your lifestyle choices.
And while it's tempting to treat yourself to Chick-Fil-A and Dairy Queen, there are better options that will fuel that intense workout.
Potatoes
While French fries are clearly not the best option to load up on after working out, that doesn't mean you can't eat regular potatoes (i.e. baked potatoes, sautéed potatoes, and such). When prepared the right way, they can actually serve as a good carb and restore your body with necessary glycogen, which helps keep your blood sugar levels on point. It goes without saying that fruits and vegetables are great for after a workout, but the key is balance. And that's where potatoes come in. Other good carbs include oatmeal, crackers, a granola bar (read the label), and dried fruit.
Protein
Your body will definitely need to refuel after you hit the gym (or your living room floor). While carbs are great to stock up on (the good kind of course), there's also a need to replenish your body with protein. Basically, carbs and protein are the yin and yang to the best foods for your workout. Since carbs have already been covered, great sources of protein include quinoa, cottage cheese, kefir, eggs, turkey breast, and nuts such as almonds. Of course, you can expand outside of that and go for tofu, fish, and beans too.
Balanced Meals
It might not be a good idea to eat too much after a workout (hey, cramps) but there's definitely room for a well-balanced meal; especially one to two hours after your workout session. Considering the idea of a well-balanced meal has been argued lately, it's safe to say it includes a healthy meat choice like grilled chicken or salmon, a good carb like rice or potatoes, and of course a fruit and/or vegetable. If you're vegan, you've already found a great protein substitute for chicken and fish. But in case you need a few more, there's always the likes of quinoa, tofu, and mushrooms.
Smoothie
Smoothies are always great after a workout because you can literally just throw in a bunch of nutrients and enjoy. It's quick, it's easy, and it's healthy. Another bonus is that it gets you full and causes you to steer away from feeding your hunger with unnecessary food that's not even healthy. Here's a quick tip for smoothies: the key is avocado. That's the ingredient that makes you fuller for a longer period of time, even more than fruit. Plus, it's full of healthy fats that can help your joints before you jump into your next workout.
Snack
If you're like me, you can find any excuse to indulge in a snack. Thankfully, an amazing workout is a great reason, as long as it's a healthy choice. Some of them include a cup of chocolate milk (yes, you can do it, sis), whole wheat toast with peanut butter and banana, hard-boiled eggs with whole wheat toast, a protein smoothie, a veggie omelet, and so on and so on. These snacks and other healthy options are great to eat while you prepare your well-balanced meal. Sidebar: almonds and oranges are also a great combination. Who else remembers when Destiny's Child singer Michelle Williams spilled that that was Beyonce's go-to when she was preparing for Coachella?
Fat
Not all fats are bad to eat after a workout. Like many other things on this list, it really just depends on the kind you select. For example, whole milk is better at boosting your muscle growth compared to skim milk, at least after a workout. While you should definitely put a ceiling on how much fat you eat after a workout, there's no need to ban it from your post-workout diet altogether. Some examples of good fats are dark chocolate, whole eggs, fatty fish like salmon, nuts, chia seeds, and avocados.
Bread or Yogurt
Just like fats, it depends on the kind. But when you spring for the right one, your body is definitely getting the fuel it needs after a good cardio session. For yogurt, I think we all know the best kind to eat is Greek. And feel free to add some fruit or granola into it for taste. For bread, the best kind is whole wheat. You can toast it and add peanut butter or almond butter or make a sandwich with turkey or chicken and soup on the side.
Featured image by Shutterstock
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Charmaine Patterson is a journalist, lifestyle blogger, and a lover of all things pop culture. While she has much experience in covering top entertainment news stories, she aims to share her everyday life experiences, old and new, with other women who can relate, laugh, and love along with her. Follow Char on Twitter @charjpatterson, Instagram @charpatterson, and keep up with her journey at CharJPatterson.com .
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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How A Stay At Switzerland's Luxurious 7132 Hotel Reminded Me To Live The Life I Deserve
Sometimes, as women—especially as single Black women—we simply need to be reminded that we are deserving of living a life we dream of. Even if that means creating it for ourselves. I recently set out on a weeklong trip to Switzerland, a trip I’ve been wanting to take for years, and near the end of my visit, I had an epiphany.
“DeAnna, this is the life you deserve,” I thought to myself as I took in the gorgeous bathroom in my suite at the famous 7132 Hotel and Thermal Spa. It was one of the most luxurious hotels (and bathrooms) I had ever stayed in—and that’s saying a lot for someone who often travels for work.
To help you better understand why this was such a mental awakening for me, I first need to give a bit of my backstory. I’m in my late thirties. I’m an attorneyand a journalist. I own a home and have traveled the world extensively. Essentially, I’ve done everything in life I set out to do. However, when it comes to dating, I struggle. Not because there is anything wrong with me per se, but because my career and “lifestyle” often create problems in my romantic relationships.
View from my hotel room
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I’ve been told everything from, ‘I can’t continue to date you because you seem to choose your career over wanting to settle down and have kids’ by a man after only the second date to ‘Maybe if you just sat down somewhere for a while, I’d actually wife you’ by someone who has honestly never proven themselves to be the settle down type. And these are only a handful of the things I’ve been told over the years.
It’s been frustrating, to say the least, and there have even been seasons where I purposely dimmed my light in hopes that my career wouldn’t push away potential suitors. I know what you’re thinking, “Girl, why would you even consider that? If they’re for you, it won’t matter what you do.” Hey, don’t judge me, but also, I one hundred percent agree.
My hotel bathroom
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That’s why this recent moment in Switzerland was right on time. When I first walked into the hotel to check in, I was blown away by the surrounding beauty. It was a five-star property with one of the world’s most famous thermal bathhouses. Yet, it was something about seeing that 90% of the hotel’s guests were couples, that forced me to sit back for a bit of introspection—while soaking in the thermal spa, of course.
As I went through the mental conversation, there was a battle of sorts. On one hand, I knew that being able to partake in experiences like the one I was having at that moment was important to me. I knew that, at times I actually love being able to dabble in the finer things—after all, I’ve worked hard to be able to afford them. On the other hand, and sadly, I knew that sometimes being a single Black woman that publicly showcases her “luxurious” habits can intimidate men and even scare them off from pursuing you under the guise of them feeling like they “can’t do anything for you, because you have everything.”
My hotel room
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So, what is a girl to do?
Do I minimize/hide the life and experiences that I have? Do I play down the hard work I’ve put in to get where I am professionally? Or, do I risk being single in exchange for being able to have said life, without backlash?
Luckily, the joy that I felt while being at this property won. There was something about taking a full day to simply pamper myself at the bathhouse and in my in-room steam shower and soaker tub, indulging in cuisine from a 2-star Michelin restaurant and doing all of this while surrounded by an amazing group of Black women that reminded me—this is certainly the life I was meant to live and that I deserve. Even if it means that right now, I’ll just have to provide it for myself until the right partner comes along. And honestly, I’m okay with that.
Restaurant at 7132 hotel
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