Recovery nutrition is one of most common topics I get asked as a sports dietitian. Proper recovery is an important part of an athlete’s training which can impact their performance if not done adequately. However, the minute you finish a workout do you really need to down a protein shake or bar. Is this really necessary? It all depends on the type and duration of your workout and when your next hard workout session will take place.

Shorter and less intense workouts:

Exercising less than 60 minutes at a low to moderate intensity like going for a walk or run, a leisure bike ride, or an easy swim do not deplete your muscle glycogen stores or require immediate repletion. Eat a snack or meal when you are hungry, but the timing of eating does not need to be right after finishing your exercise.

Train, eat, sleep, repeat seems like a common routine when training, but what about a rest day? We know that our fitness gains occur after workouts. Training is the stimulus that provides the stress, but taking rest allows your body to adapt to the stress and grow. With that being said, nutrition on rest days should not vary greatly from training days. Here are a few tips on how to eat on rest days to maximize your recovery and prep your body for your next workout.

Listen to your hunger cues.

The day after a hard workout or long run I’m always thinking “today’s an eating day”. You may not feel super hungry right after an intense training session due to changes with hormones, but watch out, later that day or the following day, your body needs refueling. You need to listen to your hunger cues, eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re full. Don’t restrict your eating just because you are not exercising that day, that will only set you up for under fueling and limit your ability to progress your training.