My brother posted a question on Facebook the other day. He often posts questions to spark discussion, and they often do just that. The question he posted the other day was “Trick Question: What is the most important meal of the day?”
Of course, people chimed in with “Breakfast.” WRONG! (Should have known that from the “trick question” hint.)
Without going any further into the wrong answers, let’s get to the right answer. The most important meal of the day is the one right after you work out.
(Yes, this does assume that you work out. If you don’t work out, I dunno, maybe breakfast is right ;=)
What is so important about the post-workout meal? For about 45 minutes after your workout, your body is primed to start repairing itself, building muscle.
Do not waste that opportunity!
What should the post-workout meal consist of? Lots of carbs and some protein. I’ve read 3:1 ratio of carbs to protein. I usually go with about a 2:1 ratio, with 60 grams of carbs and 30 grams of protein. Specifically, my meal is a protein shake composed of
- 8-12 ounces of unsweetened almond milk (I prefer Blue Diamond brand)
- 4 dates or an equivalent carbload of organic honey or dried figs, and
- a heaping scoop of a vanilla-flavored low carb whey protein powder (Optimum Nutrition makes my favorite).
I gotta tell ya, when I put the dates in there, wow, that is seriously one of my favorite things to eat/drink. Delicious.
You could eat a meal of lean meat or fish and pasta. I am personally not in the mood to do a lot of cooking right after I workout, but if you are, go for it! A protein shake does the trick for me, and every once in a while, I’ll have some fat-free Greek yogurt with honey in it. Tasty.
So, that’s the upshot. If you work out, the most important meal of the day is the meal right after you exercise, so, if you have to skip one, don’t skip that one!