General Health

Many people are aware about the food and nutrition intake before exercising, but they are not aware enough to the importance of nutrition after exercising too. We can choose what kind of food to recover our body nutrition taken while exercising.

First, may be we know the importance of replacing lost carbohydrates after exercise. Carbohydrate, any of a large group of compounds in which hydrogen and oxygen, consists principally of sugar, starch, dextrin, cellulose, and glycogen, substances that constitute an important part of the human diet and that of many animals.

Carbohydrates stimulate the secretion of the hormone insulin. Insulin transforms carbohydrates into glycogen, which the body stores and converts back to carbohydrates during exercise. What does this mean? The more muscle glycogen that you replace by consuming carbos, the more energy you’ll have for your next workout. We can get high amount of carbos from sports drinks, table sugar, honey, refined breads and ready-to-eat cereals, baked potatoes, and energy bars and shakes. The needs of carbohydrates will be 0.45 to 0.68 grams per pound of body weight within two hours of exercise.

Second, proteins. The combination of protein with carbohydrates in a post-exercise meal may further enhance recovery. Studies also indicate that protein might also help build muscle after a workout. We can get good sources of proteins from lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, low-fat dairy products, soy products, and energy bars and shakes. Combine 0.5 grams per kilogram (0.23 grams per pound) of body weight with carbohydrates.

Taken From Materials Provided By Encarta

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