Rule No. 1: “Avoid pure protein right after the workout, because your body will just use it as energy again,” says Collingwood. Also, steer clear of foods that are mostly sugar (cookies, candy and the like) or mostly fat like a handful of nuts (without yogurt or fruit to balance the fat) or fried foods.
Cyclists who had pedaled on an empty stomach incinerated about twice as much fat as those who had consumed a shake first.
Look to grab a quick, protein-packed snack 15 minutes to an hour after your workout to begin refueling. Starting the process right away can help ward off muscle soreness, tightness and cramping. (It's important to rehydrate and replace lost electrolytes, too.)
Fuel is needed to promote enhanced muscle building, and if you're not eating often enough or eating in that hour window after working out, your body may start to use muscle as fuel for energy instead. This leads to fat storage, muscle loss, and an inability to build stronger, more defined muscle.
How Long Does it Last? There have been several studies to determine how many hours EPOC, or afterburn, can last, and the consensus is that the effect peaks in the first hour after exercise and continues for up to 72 hours. That means your body could keep burning extra calories for as long as three days after a workout!
Eggs: the perfect post-workout snack
A serving of two large eggs contains 13 grams of high-quality protein. Eggs provide all of the nine essential amino acids (also known as the building blocks of protein), making them an effective food for maintaining, building and repairing muscle.
A study has found that fast food is just as effective as expensive energy bars, protein drinks or dietary supplements when it comes to recovering from intense workouts. Junk food may be just as good as those high-tech powders, gummies and shakes in your gym bag.
After a competition or workout, focus on getting carbs and protein into your body. This gives your muscles the ability to replenish the glycogen they just lost through training and helps your tired muscles rebuild and repair with the available protein and amino acids.
Well, according to Runner's World, glycogen resynthesis is essentially recovery, and the results of the study suggest that even eating something from a fast food restaurant can be just as effective as using other products that are marketed as being for sports nutrition.
Mostly, losing weight is an internal process. You will first lose hard fat that surrounds your organs like liver, kidneys and then you will start to lose soft fat like waistline and thigh fat. The fat loss from around the organs makes you leaner and stronger.
Crunches:
The most effective exercise to burn stomach fat is crunches. Crunches rank top when we talk of fat-burning exercises. You can start by lying down flat with your knees bent and your feet on the ground.
Spinach and other leafy green vegetables like kale, lettuce, etc. are great for burning belly fat and are very nutritious as well. There have been some studies done on the subject of the fat burning capabilities of spinach and the very healthy veggie has come out a winner in this category.
Some people will feel stronger in just 2-4 weeks. For others, depending on their muscle fiber makeup, other genetic qualities, and the quality of their workouts, results in strength are generally seen in 8-12 weeks, according to the researchers. Skeletal muscles aren't the only muscles that get stronger with exercise.
Your body needs protein to build and repair tissues, so if you aren't eating enough, your muscles won't have the material they need to grow. You could feel “punch drunk” after working out, your arms and other muscles might ache more than usual, and your body may even feel generally weaker.