I have had my fare share of strenuous workouts and competitions. During the wrestling season I would stock up on carbs and fruit the night before a competition. An hour before a match I would eat light but once I stepped off the mat, I went straight for the water and food. We all know that eating after any kind of physical activity is important for replenishing the body's lost energy and glycogen in the brain.Usually athletes go for carbs or fruits. But research has shown in recent studies that adding a little protein to a post-workout meal is more beneficial. The preferred ratio is 4 carbs to 1 protein. The idea is that while the carbs will work to refuel the depleted amounts of glycogen, the protein will help muscle recover faster and reduce soreness. Timing is also very important. I have always been told to eat within 30 minutes of finishing a workout. According to Olympic skier Billy Demong "Eating within 30 minutes of a hard or prolonged workout is critical in recovery. And actually within 10 minutes is almost twice as good to replenish glycogen stores quickly." The protein and carb combination is also good for a regular meal because it fills you up without being too heavy. Hope this helps.
I enjoyed you blog and found it interesting the ratio, 4 carbs to 1 protein. As an athlete I am always loading up on the carbs before a race although after reading your blog I see that I need to work on getting food into my system faster after I run because sometimes I don’t eat for an hour or two after a race.
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