12 Foods To Avoid After Workout

After working out, the following foods should be avoided:

1. Processed meats

Processed meats like ham, salami and bacon are best avoided after a workout as they are full of unhealthy fats and don’t provide your body with what it needs to repair itself following exercise. Processed meats contain preservatives to keep them fresh longer and are also high in sodium which can cause you to feel de-hydrated after a workout. Stick to high protein, muscle building red meats and eat and lean protein foods like chicken or salmon instead.

2. Cheese

If you are a cheese lover, then you can probably think of nothing nicer to have after a workout than some melted cheddar cheese on toast. While cheese is a source of protein which your body needs after exercise, it’s highly processed and full of fat. If you find yourself craving cheese, then opt for healthier cheeses such as mozzarella and team it with some whole-grain bread for a protein and carb rich healthy post-workout snack.

3. Fried foods

It might be tempting to eat your favourite full English breakfast after a workout just because you think you’ve burnt off enough calories to allow yourself to be naughty, but don’t. It’s not worth it! Avoid eating fried foods that are high in fat like chips, burgers after exercise. The initial carb rush that you will feel after eating fried foods will soon disappear, leaving you with no nutritional gain and the need to do another workout to work off the extra calories and carbohydrates.

4. Fast Food

Similar to sugar, salt is something you can crave after a workout. Again, this is because it needs replenishing in your body. It can be tempting to grab something quick and easy such a burger or fries, but they will be detrimental to your diet. You won’t be replacing the right kind of fats or salts in your body, and you’ll be adding a large dose of bad trans fats. In addition, you’ll be undoing all of the great work you did during your exercise.

5. Spicy foods

If you’re a lover of spicy foods like a chicken madras then you might be craving spicy foods after a workout. Eating spicy foods post-workout is not a good idea as the heat and fieriness of these foods can lead to heartburn and indigestion which will impede the effects of your workout and leave you feeling uncomfortable when what you want to be feeling that great post-workout high instead.

6. Energy drinks

Again, as with energy bars, energy drinks are no good post-workout. They don’t hydrate your body, are full of caffeine and they are carbonated which will leave you feeling gassy and bloated. Energy drinks are full of sugar and artificial sweeteners so unless you are an athlete you should avoid drinking them before and after a work out and stick to water instead.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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.