5 Best Workout Recovery Foods

Did you just finish a long workout or some weight lifting? Don’t want to be sore all through the next few days? Try some of these wonder foods to help you heal before the hurting begins!

DualFit.com suggests…

Lifting is great and some people enjoy the soreness they feel the next day after an intense workout. But some people really can’t stand it! Being sore can really put a damper on the next day, especially if you did a crazy leg work out! But, you know the phrase…you can feel sore or you can feel sorry. So feeling sore does offer a sense of achievement! Still, it’s important to recover from many long training sessions, so try incorporating the foods below to recuperate more quickly.

FOOD NUMBER 1: WHOLE GRAIN CEREAL

You may have heard that you should eat carbs BEFORE a workout, which is true, but you should also consume them after as well. Carbohydratescan help your body fight the fatigue that it feels after a workout by restoring your glycogen stores. When you exercise, you are using up all of your glycogen stores (or energy stores.) It’s really important to replenish them after a workout so that you do not experience that sleepy feeling. Any carbohydrate snack will do but whole grains are always the best choice.

FOOD NUMBER 2: CHERRIES

Cherries are kind of like a magical fruit. They have many anti-inflammatory properties which are really important for relieving muscle soreness. The antioxidant that gives cherries this healing ability is called anthocyanins. Many athletes consume tart cherry juice prior to workouts for this reason. Instead of popping that ibuprofen or Advil, reach for some nice, fresh cherries or cherry juice instead.

FOOD NUMBER 3: NUTS

Walnuts, almonds, brazil nuts, whatever kind of nuts you want! All kinds of nuts are very high inVitamin E. This vitamin has muscle strengthening powers which will ultimately help to fight muscle soreness. Once you begin to get stronger, you will notice that you are not as sore as you were when you first began training. When you have been training for a while, your muscles are stronger and you don’t tear the muscle as much as you did in the beginning. Less tears equals less soreness. Vitamin E also helps repair the damage that was done to the muscle tissue. Eat foods high in vitamin E, like nuts, to help build that muscle strength…and keep training!

FOOD NUMBER 4: BERRIES

Berries such as strawberries, blueberries, black berries, and raspberries all contain antioxidants called polyphenols. These antioxidants are what protect your cells against damage. Aside from their ability to reduce muscle pain, they also help protect against all the other damages that can be done to our cells which can cause cancer. Generally, the darker the berry, the more antioxidants it contains so try to eat dark berries such as black berries and blueberries. They are a healthy and delicious snack! You can even throw them into your protein shake for an added bonus!

FOOD NUMBER 5: SALMON

Fish in general is loaded with protein and a ton of essential fatty acids. Fatty acids help to reduce inflammation which in turn fights muscle soreness. Not a fan of fish? Take a fish oil supplement!

Get more information at DualFit.com!