Energy bars
Many people get confused about when they should eat an energy bar as part of their workout diet. Energy bars should be eaten before a workout rather than after because they provide you with the fuel you need to get you through the work which you are going to burn off. So all the sugar, and energy bars are full of it, are worked off during your workout. If you eat energy bars after your workout you are slowing down your metabolic rate and are simply stimulating fat production. They aren’t called energy bars for nothing and will give you an energy boost that you no longer need after your workout which might lead to a restless night’s sleep.
Pastries
Although it is advised that after a workout you should eat some carbs to boost blood-glucose levels that are lost after a hard workout, but that doesn’t mean it’s okay to start scoffing down on pastries. The fats found in pastries like croissants and pain au chocolat are bad for your heart and the fats in them can clog your arteries. Pastries are also high in calories and sugar. For a good carb boost post-workout have a slice of whole wheat toast instead and add some nutritious and filling peanut butter which will leave you feeling satisfied.
Fried Eggs
Eggs are a fantastic source of protein and choline (which is needed for a healthy heart) after you exercise. However, frying them up is a mistake. This is because they usually get fried in butter or oil, both of which are saturated fats. In order to get the most out of your eggs without damaging your health, either boil them or have them raw in a protein shake or smoothie.
Chocolate
Avoid eating milk chocolate after exercise. You might think you need a hit of the delicious brown stuff to boost your energy levels, but chocolate is full of sugar and is high in calories. The high that you get from chocolate won’t last long and your body needs to be recharged properly by eating the right foods that aid muscle repair and boost your metabolism rather than chocolate which offers the body nothing and has a negative impact on your workout regime.
Pizza
There are so many better food options to enjoy after a workout so just leave pizza off the list and save it for a special treat. An average 10-inch pizza is usually packed with toppings like processed meats and cheese which the body has a hard time digesting and are high in bad fats. Also, a 10-inch pizza can have up to a whopping 1200 calories in it, that’s over half of the recommended 2000 calories per day intake allowance for a woman.
Crisps
Crisps and certain nuts have extremely high levels of salt. Your body might be craving salt after your workout, especially when you have just sweated a load of salt out of your body during it. Eating salty snacks lowers your body’s potassium levels which your body needs to help it recover quickly after exercise. Potassium is an electrolyte that is lost during exercise and it’s essentialthat you eat foods that boost the levels back to where they should be rather than eating high salt foods that will further deplete them.