Post Workout Food Cravings

Sunday, 05 July 2009

Post Workout Food Cravings

(Source)
The other day, I was having a conversation with my brother and his wife after we had just finished an evening run. My brother had covered about a mile more than I did; while I did 3 miles and my sister-in-law (who isn't a fan of exercising did 3/4 of a mile).

By the end of the run, weights and more stretching, we were heading home when my sister-in-law burst out excitedly "WHAT SHALL WE EAT FOR DINNER??".

I groaned and looked at my brother. Somehow, the thought of food at that time was so nauseating and unappealing. All I wanted was an ice cold isotonic drink to replenish the water and salts my body had lost. The look on my brother's face said the same thing. We hadn't eaten dinner before running because I prefer to run on an emptier stomach as my digestion is really bad (i.e. slow).

All my sister-in-law could think of were the food options we had at that time. Truth be told, if anything, the only food I could and would eat were either a nice cold sub from Quiznos or Subway or just some homemade chilled Soba or Somen (Thin japanese noodles made from wheat flour). Those food options have been my "healthy" food options for the past 3 years after every visit to the school's gym or the pool at Scioto. I just don't seem to crave or want any other kind of food and to me, that seems like the healthiest option in my normal diet.

Do you guys have any of these food cravings after your workout? Any healthy and delicious ones to recommend?

recommend
recs 1
share
email
sent 0

Comments (31)

browse comments:
next ›
last »

if it's a really long and hard run then no
but if it's a quick 11k then i tend to want cake or my mom's ribs
- 7/5/2009 12:12 PM
- JoeytheGenie@xanga (message)
- reply
I usually can't eat a meal until an hour after I work out, but if it's a long and hard workout then I try to eat a small snack right afterwards, like a special k bar, a cup of cereal (cheerios, oatmeal squares), raisins, an apple, or sometimes teddy grams! yum.
- 7/5/2009 1:02 PM
- intredipity@xanga (message)
- reply
Eat something light.like fruit or yogurt
- 7/5/2009 1:39 PM
- youbetternotcontrolme@xanga (message)
- reply
i love sushi after a good workout. protein, carbs, and good fats all in one yummy meal :D
- 7/5/2009 1:59 PM
- galadrielspitcher@xanga (message)
- reply
I'm always hungry after I work out--especially after I swim--and I'll eat just about anything. It generally ends up being a huge plate of pasta.
- 7/5/2009 3:15 PM
- jupiter312@xanga (message)
- reply
i normally have a craving for spinach... call me popeye... that's pop with an eye...
anyways, i think i should go out for a run now before it gets any sunnier... 18km here i come...
- 7/5/2009 4:24 PM
- kawasaki_saiyan@xanga (message)
- reply
I tend to want brownies..
- 7/5/2009 5:09 PM
- aiinos@xanga (message)
- reply
I find that after I work out (roller blade, treadmill, etc.) I am hungry shortly thereafter. I love drinking fruit smoothies after a workout. It's a cool, sweet, and healthy way to replenish. Smoothies with real fruit, milk, ice, and protein powder. Yum. I also love eating crackers or pretzels with peanut butter.
- 7/5/2009 5:30 PM
- sonshinesinme@xanga (message)
- reply
sushi!
- 7/5/2009 9:39 PM
- lil_squirrel4ever@xanga (message)
- reply
i don't have a particular workout food.. but sometimes i'll snack on fruits or put yogurt with cereal. yum
- 7/5/2009 9:39 PM
- smonki@xanga (message)
- reply
The first thing I can think about is water, water, water. But right after I get re-hydrated, all I can think about is having a nice turkey burger or peanut butter with crackers. Yum. :)
- 7/5/2009 9:43 PM
- sheflourishes@xanga (message)
- reply
yeah i def feel you on the loss of appetite right after a hard work out. but give it like an hour and im fiending for some protein carbs and fat! I usually like something hearty like some wheat bread and an egg or shreaded wheat and skim milk or a big turkey sandwhich! lol :)

something with substance cause i feel like my body craves to be replenished of all the cals i just burned. which is also great for your body. keeps your body burning fat.
- 7/5/2009 10:59 PM
- kieri126@xanga (message)
- reply
@sheflourishes@xanga - i'm right with you on the whole "water, water, water" thing, lol. i love food, so after i work out and drink water i wanna eat my kitchen. but i don't of couuuurse, not about to negate all my hard work in the gym!
- 7/5/2009 11:12 PM
- choosingausernameishard@xanga (message)
- reply
It really depends on the work out. After weight training, I'm not really in any particular mood to eat but if I do it's generally high in protein (such as a shake or meat with a small portion of vegetables.) For after running its any carbohydrate I can get my hands on, sweets especially. But, if you really want to trigger some feel-good-third-world-country-hunger, swim at least 1000m a day. You'll eat anything not moving and want more shortly thereafter. I actually am quite dependant on swimming for a voracious appetite because I'm naturally inclined to eating less (hurting growth.) My growth has stagnated lately specifically because the pool has been closed so I miss a vital portion of my work outs.
Swim it up if you want to eat!
- 7/6/2009 1:04 AM
- nolan_kun@xanga (message)
- reply
Post-workout all I crave is ice cold water...the closer to freezing the better.

My Exercise Physiology prof told me that the human thirst mechanism isn't too acurate. Quite often when we "feel" hungry, we're actually dehydrated. It's just that our brain mixes the signals up a bit.
- 7/6/2009 10:29 AM
- Titanic_Spaz@xanga (message)
- reply
After a really really long and harsh workout (that rarely happens to me), I really never want to eat. But if it's a short, about 1 hour swimming or very light running exercise, then I crave just about anything
- 7/6/2009 12:13 PM
- joahchun@xanga (message)
- reply
if its a looonnnggg run i don't really crave anything but if it's just like an hour of aerobics i do want food but my cravings vary.

it all depends.
- 7/6/2009 3:03 PM
- xPsYc0x8yTcHx@xanga (message)
- reply
Be it a run or a hard workout, I go with a shake made with a scoop of soy protein powder, a container of boysenberry yogurt, fresh berries, a banana, and a splash of milk. Very good, very cold, and very filling
- 7/6/2009 7:05 PM
- mercurychan@xanga (message)
- reply
The gym I go to is right next to a place that sells deep-fried cookie dough, which sounds really disgusting, but it's actually really good.

That's usually what I crave. That, or chocolate chip cookies. I'm pretty terrible.
- 7/6/2009 9:20 PM
- abcdefgaby@xanga (message)
- reply
Oh man, I can eat right before and right after a run (as long as it's not something like Mexican food right before...)... I swear the only time my appetite ever fails is when I'm really depressed (basically, the first week after a breakup). Actually, that isn't entirely true, if it was a really hard run and I'm feeling queezy, I might need to wait about 30 minutes. At that point, I do love sandwiches and salads... I don't like anyhing too sweet after I run. Sometimes I will force myself to eat if I know I burned a lot of calories just so I don't have crazy cravings an hour later.
- 7/6/2009 9:24 PM
- nrb2233@xanga (message)
- reply
@Titanic_Spaz@xanga - Isn't the thalamus (i think) that tells us if we are hungry or not? Hmm, mine must not be working very well cause I am hungry 24/7. Hahah.

@sheflourishes@xanga - I am with you about the water. Usually I run at the park and am too exhausted to run anymore, but sometimes the thought of a nice cup of ice water is sooo tempting, I end up running home!!

@lil_squirrel4ever@xanga - @galadrielspitcher@xanga - That's a good recommendation! I love how sushi is full of protein and has sufficient carbs too. Plus, it's really refreshing!

@nrb2233@xanga - I definitely don't like anything too sweet either!

@nolan_kun@xanga - Swim 1km daily?? How long is a lap usually?
- 7/6/2009 10:48 PM
- crushediamonds@xanga (message)
- reply
@crushediamonds@xanga - most pools in the united states are 25m, thus down and back is 1 lap @ 50 m. do this times 20. it should take a few minutes. most people prefer front crawl or freestyle, but i tend to swim utilizing the breast stroke. little less cardiovascular and feels nicer to me.
- 7/6/2009 10:53 PM
- nolan_kun@xanga (message)
- reply
i'm with you in wanting cold food after a work out. milkshake, smoothie, sushi, cold sub, fresh fruits and veggies... the thought of cooked/prepared warm food is nauseating, especially UNHEALTHY food like fried chicken.
- 7/6/2009 10:55 PM
- teddynsnoopy@xanga (message)
- reply
@nolan_kun@xanga - Okay, then I am ashamed to say this.. I once did 20 laps at my school's pool and it took me almost an hr. Haahaha. I used to be in shape but then I got lazier and lazier. And I usually do breaststroke too cause I never mastered the freestyle -sheepish-

@teddynsnoopy@xanga - I couldn't do anything with dairy though especially milkshakes, it's too heavy for me. I tried that and a smoothie once and barfed. -lol- But I love fruit juices!
- 7/6/2009 11:03 PM
- crushediamonds@xanga (message)
- reply
@JoeytheGenie@xanga - Eek! I'm pretty sure your mom's ribs are fine are her abdomen
- 7/7/2009 1:45 AM
- aznspartan94@xanga (message)
- reply