Sports and healthy nutrition are inseparable from each other therefore the beginning athletes often ask the question how to eat before and after the training properly and whether it is possible to eat in general after intensive loadings. Definite answer – is it is possible, but only certain products and in the small amount.
Why is after sports activities?
There is the set of various opinions on whether it is worth eating after sports activities. Some say that it is necessary to starve at least three hours after the training, others recognize only proteinaceous cocktails, the third claim that it is possible to eat everything, except carbohydrate food. But professional nutritionists not only allow to eat after sport, but also recommend to do it as the organism needs to be restored after serious loadings.
Besides, intensive exercises cause increase in amount of hormones of the stress in the organism – in blood the level of cortisol and adrenaline increases. They help to move quicker, to overcome difficulties, to force the body to experience strain, but after the training these substances aren't necessary any more and is even destructive act on health. Insulin which is produced with meal can lower their level. Therefore it is very important to eat after sport to return the organism to the mode of tranquility and restoration. Hormones of the stress are neutralized, power losses are recovered, muscles begin to receive food, and the organism at the subconscious level calms down. If to eat nothing, the stress increases, the metabolism is broken, and the effect of occupations weakens.
Nutritionists recommend to eat in twenty minutes after the training.
What can be eaten after sports activities?
Harm of the large amount of fast carbohydrates for the figure is well-known, but it doesn't mean that it is necessary to refuse completely these substances – they provide us the most part of energy. The first hours after the training – the best time for consumption of carbohydrates, all of them will be processed into energy and won't be postponed as fat thanks to the so-called "carbohydrate window": speed of digestion of carbohydrates increases by three-four times therefore even sweets and pastries can be eaten without consequences.
But it is desirable not to be fond of them, and to eat slow, "good" carbohydrates – porridges, grain bread, bars with bran. And chocolates can be replaced with more useful fruit and berries.
If the purpose of your sports activities is to lose weight, then it is desirable to eat about a half of the spent calories after the training. It won't do to process of combustion of fat harm, and the organism will get less stress. It isn't necessary to be limited only to carbohydrates – about 60% eaten have to fall on them, fats and proteins have to make the rest. It is possible to eat soy cottage cheese, natural yogurt, the cheese piece, omelet, flakes with milk. The quantity of fat has to be minimum.