So you hit the gym and sweat it out in a rigorous workout regime at the gym. But are the hectic exercises and waist trainers enough to get you the fit and dreamy body you’re working so hard for? Probably not, because chances are, that you’re ignorant about the right post-workout diet that your body needs.

When you push your body or more particularly, your muscles, to go the extra mile at the gym, it exhausts its stored energy or glycogen and hence gets partially depleted of glycogen. Simultaneously, some muscle proteins also get broken down or damaged in course of the demanding exercise. Hence, after the workout, the body needs to recover by rebuilding its glycogen stores and repairing and regrowing those muscle proteins and for that, it needs the appropriate resources through food.

So first, here are three golden rules to be followed right after a rigorous workout.

Hydrate yourself
The most obvious loss to your body during the workout is the water lost through sweat which should be made up to the body immediately after the workout. Even though ideally, a person should drink the same amount of water as lost through sweat, the exact amount being hard to measure, a person should use his thirst to guide him regarding the required water intake and drink till he has had enough.

Have a snack soon after a workout
Unless you’re going to have a meal within 1-2 hours of your workout, you should always have a snack within 30 minutes of your workout, without which you would end up feeling fatigued and tired very soon. The snack helps your body to recover from the exercise and regain its lost energy, while speeding up muscle repair and growth, thus increasing the benefits of your workout.

Make sure your post-workout snack has proteins and healthy carbs and fat
After a rigorous workout routine, your body requires proteins, healthy carbs and limited amounts of fat. The high protein food helps repair and rebuild the proteins in your muscles leading to muscle growth and carbs help you replenish the glycogen reserves in your muscles which serve as fuel for future workouts and they should be consumed in a 2:1 (Carbs: Protein) ratio. A limited amount of healthy fat intake has also been proven good for the body.

Now that you know the basic rules to be followed post-workout, here are some balanced snacks you can have right after your hours at the gym –

1. Greek Yogurt and Fresh Berries
Six to eight ounces of plain nonfat Greek yogurt along with a handful of mixed berries (strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries) provides for a delicious snack with the right amounts of calories, protein, carbs, and fiber, thus providing the resources required to rejuvenate your body after a tough session.

2. Turkey and Cheese roll-ups with Apple Slices
2 rolls of a slice of lean roasted turkey breast rolled around a part-skim mozzarella cheese stick taken with apple slices makes a delicious and filling in between snack. The high protein count, carbs, and healthy fats kick-start your muscle building and repairing, thus improving your performance in the following workout sessions.

3. Chocolate Milk and granola bar
A cup of refreshing non-fat chocolate milk paired with a protein granola bar is ideal for post-workout recovery. Having just the right ratio of protein to carbohydrates, it speedily replenishes energy stores and facilitates muscle tissue repair. Both coming in non-messy packages, they are easy to carry and consume on the go.

4. Protein shakes and banana
Protein shakes are the ultimate no-fuss, low-maintenance post-workout snack and coming in a variety of flavors, they cater to everyone’s tastes. Even though bananas should usually be avoided due to their high sugar content, their high carb and potassium counts make them a perfect post-workout snack. Two scoops of protein powder mixed in water along with half a banana provide immediate long-lasting energy to the taxed body after a workout.

5. Almond butter or peanut butter with apple
A filling and tasty combo snack like two tablespoons So you hit the gym and sweat it out in a rigorous workout regime at the gym. But are the hectic exercises and waist trainers enough to get you the fit and dreamy body you’re working so hard for? Probably not, because chances are, that you’re ignorant about the right post-workout diet that your body needs.