Weight Loss Tips: Reasons For Excessive Post-Workout Hunger Pangs And Ways To Deal With Them

When you workout, there are a number of things that you need to do over and above the workout. The food you eat before and after you exercise determines how you are going to perform during exercise and how you feel after your workout. For many people, completing a workout is often accompanied with hunger that needs to be satisfied as soon as possible. Well, this feeling of incessant hunger after workout can be because of improper nutrition before workout, says nutritionist Nmami Agarwal.

Weight loss: Ways to beat post-workout hunger pangs from nutritionist

According to Agarwal, feeling excessively hungry before a workout can be because of improper fuelling before a workout, depletion of glycogen stores, or dehydration.

Also read: What Is Dehydration? Know How To Deal With It

"A decrease in the glycogen store indirectly stimulates the release of the hunger hormone called ghrelin, signalling your brain to ask for more fuel in order to recover. Simply put, post-workout hunger is your body's response to the calories you've just burnt," she tells DoctorNDTV.

The nutritionist goes on to add that these hunger cues must definitely not be ignored. Instead, you need to be more mindful of what you eat after a workout. Eating unhealthy junk food or comfort food can sabotage the hard work you put in exercising and following a healthy diet.

Avoid binging on comfort food after your workouts
Photo Credit: iStock

"The recovery meal should comprise of protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats. You can have almond milk smoothie made with fresh fruits, nuts, and seeds," Agarwal recommends.

Also read: Ease PMS Symptoms With This Simple Morning Routine: Try It Today!

Other healthy post-workout snacking options are:

• Multigrain toast with guacamole
• Nutty trail mix
• Scrambled egg and toast.
• Mashed sweet potato or sprouts bowl (can curb post-workout hunger)
• Yogurt with fresh fruits
• Vegetable sticks with hummus dip
• Peanut butter toast can also fuel your body right after a workout

"Just make sure that you plan your post-workout meals in advance so that you can manage your hunger better and also manage to control the portion size," says Agarwal.

Also read: Weight Loss: This 30-Minute HICT Workout Can Make You Feel The Burn

(Nmami Agarwal is nutritionist at Nmami Life)

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.