When it comes to weight loss, there are two crucial components: physical exercise and diet. What you eat is just as important as the work you put in at the gym—and you don’t want your hard work to go to waste! While nourishing your body properly after a workout is highly important, it’s also important to choose the right foods for the job. Not all post-workout snacks are created equal. Even options that may seem healthy could ultimately negate your exercise.
To highlight a few popular post-workout snack options to avoid if you want to lose weight and keep inflammation at bay, we spoke to registered dietitian and certified personal trainer Cindy Dallow PhD RD. She warns against fast food, trail mix, protein drinks, and protein cookies. Learn all about the potential risks of each below.
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1. Fast Food
This one may already seem counterintuitive—after all, don't we all know that fast food is typically unhealthy? However, Dr. Dallow points out that people often work out at the gym and then hit the drive-through on their way home. "This happens more often than you would think!" she says. And unsurprisingly, it's best to avoid. While there are healthy fast food options out there, Dr. Dallow warns that most meals can take a toll on your health and negate your workout "due to high calories and inflammatory ingredients." Ingredients like refined carbohydrates, added sugars, saturated and trans fats, and processed meats are all no-gos when it comes to your health. So skip the drive-thru and wait to whip up something healthy at home!
2. Trail Mix
Filled with nutritious nuts, trail mix is often considered a healthy snack—but Dr. Dallow warns that you may want to avoid eating it by the handful after an intense workout if weight loss is your goal. "Although trail mix has some protein, it is very high in calories. You can get up to 500 calories in one small handful of trail mix, which is more than the calories burned in most workouts." Especially when you consider the fact that it's hard to stick to the recommended servings of this delicious snack, munching on trail mix could be one fast way to throw your workout down the drain.
3. Some Protein Drinks
It's always crucial to prioritize protein in your diet, especially if you're completing intense workouts on a regular basis. However, Dr. Dallow recommends avoiding high-calorie protein drinks after a workout. On top of the calorie content that could make your workout a waste for weight loss, many popular protein drinks are also sweetened, which could lead to blood sugar spikes, inflammation, digestive issues, and other risks. Keep in mind that even if your protein drink of choice is sugar-free, artificial sweeteners come with health risks of their own. You're usually better off getting your protein from whole food sources. Your body will thank you!
4. Protein Cookies
In addition to protein drinks, there are a lot of delicious-looking protein products on shelves these days, from pie-flavored protein bars to high-protein toaster pastries. Protein cookies are one option that may catch your eye next time you're at the grocery store, but Dr. Dallow says you should be careful. These cookies come with similar risks to protein drinks. "They may contain protein, but they almost always contain a lot of sugar and very little nutritional value," she warns. As noted previously, whole foods are the best way to go if you're looking to up your protein intake.
Best post-workout snacks
So, what should you eat after your workout? According to Dr. Dallow, you may want to skip the snack altogether. "I recommend only having a snack if the workout was very strenuous and/or the next meal won't happen for a few hours," she says.
But if a snack is in order, she recommends fruit and Greek yogurt or cottage cheese. With these, she says, "You get both protein and healthy carbs (which helps to replace the glycogen used during the workout)." Another good option is a small salad with a good protein source (like beans, eggs, or tofu), a fruit smoothie, a whole grain tortilla or bagel with nut butter and low-sugar jam, veggies and avocado dressing, cheese sticks and an apple, or half a turkey sandwich, baby carrots, and a piece of fruit.
