What foods should we avoid after training?;

By Demosthenes Christopoulos

It is a well-known fact that apart from physical exercise, our body needs - as unpleasant as it may be for some of us - proper nutrition to bring the desired results. But what should we eat after training and physical exercise in general?;

What is certain is that we need food to restore our energy and boost our metabolism, yet poor choices could undo all the effort we have put in.

Here's a list of foods to avoid after exercise if you want to avoid wasting your effort.

Refreshments

It could be an easy post-workout solution as long as we think about how many sugars it will load us with. The body burns calories through complex carbohydrates and fat. Soft drinks stop the fat burning process, have no nutritional value and certainly don't hydrate us.

Rich proteins

Like spicy foods, experts recommend avoiding anything that is difficult to digest, such as steak. If you want to increase muscle, you should also have a high proportion of carbohydrates in your diet, such as tuna and rice. But if you're trying to lose weight, avoid carbohydrates.

Fatty foods

Avoid fatty post-workout alternatives as fat slows down the digestion process in the intestine, thus delaying the delivery of essential nutrients to the muscles.

Milk chocolate

That's sad! As hard as it may be at least don't do it right after the hard work you accomplished in the gym. Remember that exercise will have sped up your metabolism and you should use this to your advantage by choosing as unprocessed foods as possible. Chocolate and especially milk chocolate are not such. In contrast, dark chocolate has positive effects.

Energy drinks and cereal bars

It may sound strange since we need energy after a workout but bars contain a lot of sugar and very few nutrients. The same goes for energy drinks. They are sold as the perfect post-workout hydration supplement because of their electrolytes . The truth, however, is that their high sugar content makes them unnecessary.

Raw vegetables

Although they may be part of a healthy and balanced diet, they are not a good choice after a workout. After exercise, the body desperately needs to replenish essential nutrients, minerals and vitamins, Raw vegetables are not sufficient to fulfill these needs of the body. Combining them with a yogurt and herb dip for extra protein would be a better solution.

Cheese

While cheese is a source of protein that your body needs after exercise, it is also a processed and often very fatty food. Choose healthier cheeses like mozzarella and pair them with whole grain bread for a protein- and carbohydrate-rich post-workout snack.

Black beans

They are high in fibre, which slows down the digestive process and even worse, will cause you to get flatulence.

Fried eggs

Eggs are a great way to get protein after a workout, as long as you eat them boiled.

Alcohol

Alcohol has a diuretic effect and many unnecessary calories, dehydrates, and can worsen the muscle recovery process after workouts.

Only water

The body needs to recharge after exercise. Just as bad choices are not what you need, not eating anything but... water is just as destructive to the muscles you're trying to build.