If you have been to gym at least for day, you are a witness of the muscle soreness that follows a day or two after. Sometimes it gets so bad you can barely walk or perform simple chores or tasks that engage the muscles involved during the workout.
This inevitable pain is called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, and it is a process through which the body is repairing the damaged muscle fibers.
Basically what the body is doing is trying to heal the sore muscles. The multiplication and replacement of muscle fibres requires certain nutrients contain in specific foods. This is to imply that if you eat the right foods, you will make it easier for the body to replace the cells and heal faster and experience less pain. You are even guaranteed of having an energetic day ahead for example if you are the type of a person who hits the gym in the morning.
In this article, I reveal the top five natural foods to eat to aid the body repair muscle fibres fast and experience less pain.
1.) Bananas
Apart from being really tasty, readily available and cheap, this fruit has unbelievable positive effects on the human body. The reason is that, due to the fact that bananas contain really useful carbs which are easily ingested into the body, resulting in immediate restoration of energy. It also has other minerals including heavy doses of potassium which are crucial in helping the flow of blood and other fluids in the body.
After an intense workout, your body is naturally low on energy levels because you spent it all. You need to replenish to energize your body. The fact is that this energy can be derived from many sources, but some foods take longer to get into the blood system because of their carbohydrate composition. However, bananas are a wonder fruit known to instantly energize anyone with depleted electrolytes.
This makes a banana a perfect must-have immediately after a workout. It will save you from those horrendous hunger pangs and you are going to have a fantastic day at work regardless of how heavy you lifted!
Try these dehydrated bananas from Amazon so you can take them on the go anywhere you may be.
2.) Avocados
This common fruit has been labelled by researchers and scientists as a ‘super food’.
Also very common and somewhat affordable depending on your geographical region. Avocados are one of the best post-workout foods you can have. They have several benefits, including the fact that they aid directly in the production of testosterone in the body (Guys, eat up).
Now, if you are not aware, testosterone is a growth hormone naturally produced in the body and it is responsible for the development of masculine characteristics including the growth of hair and development of muscles. High testosterone levels aid directly in muscle growth. So avocados directly help testosterone.
Avocados also contain very vital fats which science has proved to be very crucial and beneficial to the human body. These monounsaturated natural fats (also known as the ‘good fats’) are the main source of carbohydrates in avocados which after a workout your body requires.
This wonder fruit also contains important vitamins including vitamin C, E, K and high levels of potassium. In fact, they contain more potassium than bananas making them the perfect post workout fruit because it is a mineral that is known to cure muscle cramping.
How to take avocados
While there is not formula on how to eat anything, there are certain ways which make it fun and easier for the body to ingest. You can include avocados alongside most of your day to day food, or mix it up in an omelette. The most common way is to include it in your smoothie as it adds a lot of taste to the blend.
3.) Eggs
There is a reason why eating eggs is the most common post workout food. Millions of body builders cannot be wrong! It is a fact that eggs help and maintain body muscles.
Usually underrated and by those who do not understand them, eggs are the perfect sources of crucia proteins, vitamins and carbohydrates to the body. An average sized egg contains about 70 calories and 6 grams of protein. These are the most important post workout foods as they directly help the body regain energy and rebuild muscle cells.
Fun facts about eggs
There is a never-ending debate on whether you should cook your eggs or eat them raw to get the maximum nutrient content to your body.
The answer is that there is no real difference. Raw or cooked eggs contain the same nutrient contents.
Did you know that eggs are unique in that there is not waste that the body releases when you eat an egg unlike other foods? Yes, the body absorbs 100% of everything. There is no waste and everything that is ingested into the body is utilized.
How should you eat eggs?
Since we have already stated that there is no difference between a raw and a cooked egg, you have the freedom to choose how you want to have yours!
While some prefer to frying them in a pan, others blend them raw in a smoothie. With eggs, there is a myriad of choices and they are simple and take very little time to prepare!
4.) Milk
One of the things that you body needs the most after a workout to help in recovery is water. Rehydration is crucial. The muscles fibres repair process cannot happen without the presence of enough water.
Milk is one of the most popular post workout foods because it not only helps rehydrate, but it also has crucial carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Milk also contains calcium which is very vital in developing strong bones.
This amazing liquid has been used over the years by body builders to help grow muscle faster. The proteins it contains are very crucial in developing the muscles cells. To this day, I still include 2% fat free milk in my protein shakes after a workout.
As a rule of the thumb, you should take milk after your workouts if you want to experience real results and avoid those post workout energy losses which lead to inactive and unproductive days at work due to lack of energy!
5.) Honey
The most common bodily harm that comes about after a workout is inflammation. Your arms swell and every other part of your body aches. While some people go for anti-inflammatory lotions, there are simple and natural foods you can eat which will get rid of this fast.
Natural honey contains strong anti-inflammatory components which help your body relax after a workout. Honey is also rich in carbohydrates which are slowly released to the body to provide the highly needed energy.
Takeaway
Remember that while these foods are important, water is a crucial component of muscle growth and repair that you should not forget about. Include water in all your meals. A quantity of more than two liters is recommended or 64 ounces (keep in mind that is 5 and some change 12oz bottles). If you are not a big fan of taking water, you can supplement it with natural fruit juice (but not the stuff you buy from the grocery store that’s loaded with sugar). The best juice is the one you get straight from the blender.
You cannot understate the importance of working out, its is one of the most important activities you need to engage in to achieve a healthy lifestyle. While it comes with pain and toil, the results are marvelous and worth it. These simple and readily available foods will help your body recover fast and avoid the post workout pain and inevitable hunger pangs.
