Hungry After a Workout? 5 Expert Tips to Stop Overeating

Do you feel very hungry after exercising? Exercising regularly can boost your metabolism as well increase your hunger.

While the effect of exercise on post-workout food choices has been scientifically proven, it shouldn't be used as an excuse to indulge in burgers, fries, and pizza afterward. (1,2) We often overestimate the number of calories burned and we eat more after the gym than our bodies need to build muscle. Or we eat the wrong things.

So how can you avoid binging after a workout? Check out these 5 expert tips:

Hungry after your workout? 5 tips to stop binging

1. Think twice about the calories burned

Did you really burn as many calories on your leisurely 5km run as in a large bowl of ice cream?

We normally underestimate the calories ingested through food and overestimate the calories burned through exercise. Be realistic when it comes to post-workout food choices.

Of course, it's not bad to have an ice cream every now and then. But a full meal with complex carbohydrates, high quality protein, and good fats is a better choice after a hard workout. Or how about a healthy Post workout snack?

Need more ideas of what to eat when you are hungry afterwards a work out? cash this Nutritional guide for runners.

Don't forget that those who take their time and enjoy their food tend to eat fewer calories!

2. Ask yourself: Am I really hungry?

After every workout, ask yourself the following question: "Am I really hungry?" If you cannot answer this question with a resounding “yes”, you may have forgotten to drink enough water while exercising.

We often mistake feelings of thirst for hunger. So before you eat, have a large glass of water and see how you feel afterwards.

Is your belly still growling? Then you should definitely eat something. After a short training sessionAll you need is a 150-200 calorie snack like a Greek yogurt or a handful of nuts. If you've been exercising or lifting weights for longer, you need a little more fullness.

3. Eat your meals regularly

When you are really very hungry after exercising, then you may not have eaten enough for the rest of the day.

Regular meals help keep your blood sugar levels constant. This means that the risk of overeating after exercising is much lower. How often you should eat depends entirely on your personal goals.

One way to feel full is to eat high protein foods (lean meat, fish, dairy products, nuts, legumes, etc.) with every meal. A study has been published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition who studied the effects of protein on weight management and satiety. The researchers found that protein was more filling and filling than carbohydrates and fat. In this study, this led to a reduction in energy consumption and thus to weight loss in the participants.

Would you like to learn more? Find out how much protein you really need after your workout.

4. Plan your workouts smarter

If you always feel hungry after exercise, then just make sure you do exercise before any of your main meals.

It doesn't matter whether you prefer to exercise before breakfast, lunch or dinner, intelligent planning gives you the opportunity to replenish your energy stores with a full meal. This way you don't have to eat extra snacks and therefore extra calories between meals.

5. Don't just exercise to "earn" calories to eat later

We often torment ourselves with workouts that we don't really enjoy. We spend all the time thinking about the sweet rewards that await us afterwards.

Try to change your mindset. Find an activity that you enjoy doing–it doesn't matter if it is To run, Cycling, bodyweight training or yoga. Exercise should be your body's reward, not food.

The most important thing is to listen to your body. When you're hungry, don't ignore your growling stomach. Learn to interpret your body's signals with intuitive eating and replenish your energy stores with a balanced meal.

If you want to do something good for your body, then keep it fit and healthy!

***