What to Eat on Recovery Days Between Workouts

Eat foods from all three macronutrient groups for optimal recovery.

The phrase "you can't out-train a bad diet" holds many truths. Many people believe that merely going to the gym is enough for improving health and fitness and losing weight, but this is far from the case. To ensure optimal recovery between workouts, give you energy for your next session and help with your goals of losing fat or gaining muscle mass, you must eat the right things on days between your workouts.

Calories

Calories are the first thing to consider. A calories is actually a unit of energy. They are contained in the three macronutrient groups: proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Your calorie intake should be individual to your goal -- you need enough calories to recover, but not so many you put on fat. Active people need more calories than inactive people, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. It recommends that active men consume 2,400 to 3,000 calories per day and women consume 2,000 to 2,400 per day. Eat the same number of calories on recovery days as you would on training days -- while you may not need the energy for a tough session, your body needs fuel to repair.

Protein

The main role of protein is to build and repair new cells. When you train, muscle cells are broken down and protein helps to get them back up to full strength again. If you're an athlete or partaking in intense training sessions, you need more protein than the average non-exerciser -- around 1.5 to 2 grams per kilogram of body-weight each day, according to Dr. Dan Benardot of Georgetown University. Get your protein from lean meats and fish, low-fat dairy products, eggs and beans or soy-based foods.

Carbohydrates

Carbs are your body's main source of fuel. Those training for strength and power events should get 55 percent of their calories from carbs, while endurance athletes need at least a 60 percent carb-based diet, according to Dr. David L Gee of the American College of Sports Medicine. The most crucial time to consume your carbs is immediately post-workout, claims a 2004 study in the "Journal of Sports Science," because it helps replenish lost glycogen levels. That doesn't mean you shouldn't eat carbs on recovery days, though, because you still need them to help your body repair. You may wish to lower them slightly, especially if you're in a fat loss phase. Look to nutrient-dense carb sources such as fruits and vegetables, brown rice, whole-wheat bread and pasta or sweet potatoes.

Fats

Fats sometimes get a bad press, but you do need them in your diet, especially if you're training hard. Make up the rest of your calories on your recovery days from fat -- this means your recovery day fat intake may be higher than your training day fat intake, because you're eating fewer carbs when not working out. Stick to mainly unsaturated fats such as nuts, seeds, avocados and oily fish -- these can all help inflammation and repair the damage caused by strenuous exercise, writes Dr. Jonny Bowden in "The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth."

References

• ABC News: What Is A Calorie And Why Is It Important To Know How Many Calories There Are In Certain Foods?
• U.S. Department of Agriculture: Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010
• Georgetown University: Protein -- What Does it Do?
• Central Washington University: Dietary Recommendations for Athletes
• Journal of Sports Science: Carbohydrates and Fat for Training and Recovery
• The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth About What You Should Eat and Why; Dr. Jonny Bowden; January 2007