Late Workout Late Eating Dilemma

Q:I get hungry after I workout, but I if I workout at night eating will break the no food 3hrs before bed rule. What do I do?

A: Its perfectly normal to be hungry after a workout and actually its a good thing. It means that you've used a considerable amount of energy which also means you've burned some calories. It is VERY important that you eat following a workout and what you eat is just as important. I stress 3 things that are essential to your body post workout for my clients.

1 Fluids: If you sweat a lot during your workout, you’re going to need to replace those fluids. Drinking plain old water is best for this. Water will also help you body flush out waste products produced by your active muscles.

2 Carbohydrates: Carbs help to replenish energy storage in your muscles and improve recovery. (Wheat pasta, brown rice, broccoli, yams etc.)

3 Proteins: The amino acids that make up proteins help to restore and repair muscles. Protein also helps to boost your immunity. (Skinless Chicken Breast, Skinless Turkey Breast, Salmon, Ground Turkey etc.)

Another important component is WHEN you eat. You should try to eat preferably within 45 minutes (maybe up to 60) after a workout. This period, known as the golden hour, is when the body absorbs the most nutrients and when glycogen, an energy reserve in your muscles, is replaced most efficiently. There is also a "rule of thumb" to not eat anything within 3 hours of your bedtime. Every time you eat, your metabolism increases slightly. You don't get the same metabolism-boosting benefit when you eat just before bed, because a couple of hours after dinner, your body begins preparing for sleep. This natural slackening of your metabolic rate overrides any metabolic boost you might get from eating. So once you hit the pillow, the only calories you're going to use are the basic calories you need to keep your heart beating and your lungs breathing and allow your eyes to move in REM sleep. Another reason you don't want to eat late at night is because your food may not properly digest. This can cause morning gas and stomach cramps. Eating late at night also forces your body to use its energy on digestion. One of the primary functions of sleep is to help you recuperate from the day. You want your body to be as relaxed as possible so you can wake up energized.

So to more directly answer your question you should eat a nutritionally dense, low-calorie diet that offers a balance of protein, high-quality fat and the right kind of carbohydrates after your workout. This will keep your hormones balanced and your fat-burning machinery working optimally. Try to stick as closely to the 3 hour rule as you can. Another component to the 3 hour rule is how much you eat. Keeping small portions and low calories in your post workout meal should allow you to not be effected as much as having a full course meal. You can offset this by eating more frequently throughout the day. Hopefully this information will help you and feel free to comment or ask for more information.