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You’ve trained, sweated, lifted weights, jumped rope, and done whatever you do for your workouts. And you nailed it. You’re feeling really good about yourself. But then it’s time to eat, and you go to the kitchen, only to end up finishing an entire pizza or eating too many slices of bread all by yourself. Then you start feeling bad for eating too much after your workout.
Disappointed… maybe even angry at yourself
Does this ring a bell?
The post-workout hunger trap is real. You don’t know how to navigate through that feeling. After a workout session, you may feel really hungry, as your body needs nutrients to help with recovery after exercise. And in a lot of cases, people end up overindulging in foods. This can lead to taking in too many calories compared to what you burned during your workout.
📋 Table of Contents
Reasons For Overeating After A Workout
Some things can cause you to eat too much after exercise:
1 . Increased hunger hormones tend to occur after a workout. Exercise, especially high-intensity exercises, can trigger the release of hormones that make you feel hungrier than normal.
2 . You Might Be The Reason
Some people have this “reward mentality”, where they view workouts as a way to earn treats or snacks. Which can lead to eating in excess. So, if you usually do the same thing, you might overindulge in food as well.
3 . Dehydration too
Sometimes you’re thirsty and just need to drink water. But dehydration can mimic hunger, which may lead to you snacking unnecessarily.
But there’s a way around this
How To Avoid Eating Too Much After Exercising in 7 Ways
1 . Practice exercise hydration: By drinking water before and after you work out. It’s very helpful when you know how to drink water during your fitness journey.
2 . Prepare a healthy post-workout snack ahead of time, so that you know the food that’s waiting for you after you’re done. Post-workout snacks also help your muscles recover after exercise.
3 . Talk to yourself after you’ve finished exercising.
“I’m going to eat a healthy amount of food.”
“ Food is to fuel and nourish me, not to stuff myself.”’
You just need to bring yourself in check, even if eating is on your mind the whole time
4 . Eat foods that are packed with nutrients, like nuts, lean proteins, and fruits. And not cakes, coke, or other high caloric foods. It’s much better to eat healthy meals after you’re done exercising, as they can help prevent you from eating too much.
5 . Don’t be too generous with what you put on your plate. Pay attention to portion sizes, so you don’t eat too much.
6 . Stop skipping meals, especially the day before. It’s important to eat regular meals throughout the day. If you’re doing intermittent fasting, eat something before you go to the gym.
7 . Have a pre-workout snack. Eating a healthy snack or small meal before exercising may help prevent excessive hunger after a workout. So, the chances of you eating too much after exercising may be low.
Foods To Eat After Exercising
So, what should you eat then, that is filling, and won’t make you overindulge? Here are some food ideas:
- Cucumbers: Grab a whole cucumber and eat. Don’t slice, just start biting from the top. It’ll fill you up.
- Mangoes: 2 mangoes can make you full.
- Watermelon: It is high in water and also nutritious, so eat some.
- Oranges: 2 oranges will get you going.
- Apple slices with peanut butter: This snack contains fiber and protein, which is good to eat after exercising.
- Greek yogurt with berries: It is tasty, healthy, and filling.
- Banana and almond butter: A very nice combo that has potassium and healthy fats. But remember to be careful with the amount you eat, so you don’t have too much.
There are so many other foods you can try, but this list intentionally has foods you can easily find to buy. They’re also affordable, so you don’t have to worry about spending too much money.
The bottom line
It’s not a crime to be very hungry after working out; it’s normal. But the issue is how much you eat when the hunger hits you. You can avoid eating too much after a workout by being mindful of the amount you eat, including the type of food. It’s much better to eat highly nutritious foods that contain fiber, protein, water, and healthy fats.
