That's Fit

The other day I told you how key it is to feed your body after exercise and suggested you eat these three post-workout power foods. As good timing would have it, just after sharing my message, I received an e-mail from my local fitness center. The topic? The importance of post-workout fuel.

It may seen counterproductive to eat after a workout, said the e-mail. I mean, we work so hard to burn all those calories, so why put more back in so quickly? Well, because an after-workout snack provides vital nutrients the body needs for muscle and cell repair. Eating after exercise also keeps us from feeling ravenously hungry a few hours later.

So, here's the deal: Aim to eat 15 to 30 minutes after the end of a workout. This is the period of time in which the body seems to get the most benefit from ingesting carbs and protein. Try yogurt, a fruit smoothie, or a protein shake and you'll feel energized and revived -- not sleepy and sluggish.

Got a favorite premium food you put in your tank? Tell us what it is.

Workout wisdom says to put something in your body after exercise takes so much out. What's the best something, though? How about whole-grain cereal, a bite of Indian takeout, or a big fat non-fat latte? RealAge says these are real possibilities.

Why these three snacks? Because they have something in common, capable of helping the body recover post-workout -- the three C's: Carbs, Curcumin, and Caffeine.

A carbohydrate-rich snack like cereal restores glycogen -- the stuff muscles use for energy -- and helps conquer fatigue. Curcumin, a substance found in the Indian spice turmeric, helps minimize muscle inflammation. And caffeine. It works to block muscle-pain-producing substances. Coffee has other health benefits too.

Generally speaking, if I go to the gym, I try not to plan anything immediately afterward. Ideally, I like to go home for a shower and get ready in my own bathroom, or at the very least, I'll take a full shower at the gym and get ready there. Either way, it takes some time for me to go from hot, sweaty mess to looking hot (or at least not scary).

But then again, there are those times when you get out of work at 5:00, have plans to meet a friend around 6:00 or 6:30 for a bite to eat, and while your house is on the other side of town, your gym is between work and the restaurant. It would be a shame to miss out on a quick workout just because you don't have time to wash your hair and get all dolled up, right?

In that case, check out the suggestions below for overcoming common post-workout beauty complaints (courtesy of FitnessMagazine.com, with a few of my own suggestions added in for good measure).

As a follow-up to a great post just written by Bethany Sanders here at ThatsFit, I wanted to further emphasize the significant role the post-weight workout meal plays.

It's important to realize that when you lift weights, your body is stretching and tearing muscle fibers. This may seem like a bad thing at first blush, but make no mistake, it's the process by which your muscles initiate hypertrophy (growth). One of the most vital parts to making this happen is feeding your muscles what they need right after your workout. And by right after, I mean RIGHT after. For the most part, you have a window of about 30 minutes after your weight lifting to eat your post-workout meal, or else your body may actually become catabolic (a situation where you actually lose muscle).

Does what you eat matter? Absolutely. Unlike any other part of the day, you need some simple, high glycemic index ranked sugars right after a weight workout. This is because your body requires immediate sustenance in order to begin rebuilding. Also, it is equally as important that you consume an adequate amount of protein right after a weight workout -- preferably whey.

One thing you do want to avoid right after a weight training workout is fat of any kind. Although nuts, avocados, olive oil and flax seed oil and other healthy fats should be part of your daily diet, they should not be consumed during your post-weight workout meal. Fats slow the absorption of carbohydrates and protein, which works against your goal of almost instant replenishment during this post-weight workout window.

Some great choices for a post-weight training meal include: a slice of white bread with a teaspoon of jelly + a whey protein shake mixed with water, a sports drink such as Gatorade and a fist-sized portion of grilled chicken or fish, or simply purchase any number of post-workout meal replacement shakes, such as EAS's Myoplex.

Stretching is one of those things that you've heard is important, even though you don't really know why.Truth is, stretching is controversial. There are differing opinion out there as to whether it prevents or causes injuries, or whether it's the most or least important part of the workout. I don't spend a whole bunch of time stretching, but I do it anyway, just to be on the safe side. Plus stretching improves flexibility, which I need.

The folks at FitBuff have come up with a few rules of stretching that you should follow:

• Hold stretches for no more than 20 seconds -- this elongates your muscles without straining them
  
• However, if you're stretching before lifting weights, hold stretches for 10 seconds to improve your strength. Holding for longer than that can do the opposite and make you weaker
• Dynamic stretching is ideal -- it's stretching with movement, which ensures that your muscles aren't weakened by prolonged stretching.
  

What about you? Do you stretch?

Do you work out on an empty stomach? I try not to because I feel lethargic -- plus the loud grumbling in my stomach must be distracting to the other members. But it's a good idea to get a pre-workout snack, say eDiets. It doesn't have to be anything big -- a few complex cards should do, like a piece of fruit or some crackers or toast.