July 27, 2006
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(Photograph by Stockdisc)
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After a long workout what should one's next meal consist of to get the most from the workout?
— Rory
Boulder, CO
 Nutrition following a training session is one of the most important recovery factors that you can control. You've just spent the last one, two, or five hours depleting your energy stores and pounding your muscles. Not only is it important to replenish these stores so you can recover quickly and exercise again soon, but consuming enough energy is also critical for gaining fitness as well as maintaining and building lean muscle. The exercise provides the stimulus needed for adaptation, but the body will only grow stronger if you supply it with enough energy.
Your body is most efficient at replenishing its energy stores during the first 15 to 60 minutes immediately following exercise, so it's important to consume enough food and the right foods to make the most of this time.
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The best foods to do this are rich in carbohydrates, contain a small amount of protein, and are easy to digest (high on the glycemic index). A good rule of thumb is to take in 0.75 grams of carbohydrate per pound of bodyweight within the first 15 to 30 minutes. This could be a snack, a carbohydrate-rich recovery drink, or a bar/gel. Immediately after exercise, your body doesn't really care if it gets simple or complex carbohydrate, as long as it gets the carbohydrate. Studies show that simple sugar and complex carbohydrate are equally effective for replenishing muscle carbohydrate stores.
Soon after, a complete meal that is rich in carbohydrate and moderate in protein and fat is best for recovery. For instance, a meal with brown rice, chicken breast, and roasted or steamed vegetables would do the trick. Having a turkey sandwich on whole grain bread or in a whole wheat tortilla, with plenty of vegetables stacked in it, would also work and you may be able to have it waiting in your vehicle if your workout starts and ends at a trailhead.
Chris Carmichael
Founder, CEO, and president of Carmichael Training Systems, Chris Carmichael is the personal coach to seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong. In 2004 he was awareded the USA Cycling Lifetime Achievement Award and was inducted into the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame in May 2003. He's been honored as the United States Olympic Committee's Coach of the Year and athletes under his tutelage have won 33 Olympic, World Championships, and Pan American Games. He is the author of the New York Times Bestseller "Chris Carmichael's Food For Fitness: Eat Right to Train Right" and "The Ultimate Ride," and co-author of "The Lance Armstrong Performance Program," with Lance Armstrong. Carmichael coaches a host of elite athletes including Discovery Channel rider and four-time Olympian George Hincapie and World Record Swimmer Ed Moses.
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