What To Eat After A Workout, According To A Nutritionist

There is a ton to do after an intense workout. You have to stretch, drink water, and (we hope) shower. But if there's one step you should be extra-rigorous about, it's refueling your body.

What you eat after a workout is just as, if not more, crucial to your recovery and muscle building as what you eat before you exercise.

"During a workout your muscles use up glycogen, or stored energy, to fuel the activity," says Mascha Davis, RDN, founder of Nomadista Nutrition and author of Eat Your Vitamins. Exercise may also break down some muscle proteins, she says.

That's all normal. But in order to replace the depleted glycogen and start the process of rebuilding the muscles, you have to start chowing down on nutrient-rich foods STAT. You'll want to eat a healthy mix of carbs (to replenish glycogen) and protein (to help with muscle repair).

Swipe through to find the perfect nutritionist-approved, after-workout meal for you.