5 Foods You Should Never Eat After Your Workout

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There is no better feeling than putting in #work at the gym, knowing you took just one more step toward a healthy lifestyle and better bod. Afterwards, it’s pretty likely you’ll have a meal or snack to re-energize and replenish your essential nutrients. It’s commonsense not to eat total crap. Things like chips and candy undo your whole effort. There are foods though that seem like the perfect bite, but in reality, should be no-gos after you hit the gym. Be wary of the five foods below.

1. Raw Vegetables

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WE KNOW, right??!??! How is this the case?! Well, in their raw state, vegetables like carrots, celery and broccoli just don’t have enough nutrients to fully replenish what your body needs and to keep your metabolic rate high.

2. Energy Bars

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This one floored us. Isn’t the point of energy bars to give us energy? Sure, but unfortunately, many bars contain a substantial amount of sugar, which can slow your metabolic rate. Plus, you risk a crash.

3. Spicy Foods

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Most people don’t eat a ton before working out, which means when it’s over, you’re probably running on close to empty. Eating spicy food right after exercising can increase the likelihood of uncomfortable heartburn and indigestion.

4. Granola Bars

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We tend to believe that granola bars, like energy bars, have a lot of key nutrients in them, but that’s not always the case. Granola bars tend to be loaded with corn syrup, trans fats and sodium, which the body can’t digest properly. Read nutrition labels carefully, and if you go with a bar, make sure it has as few additives as possible.

5. Cheese

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While cheese is an awesome snack or salad ingredient, it’s too high in saturated fat to be a good post-workout food. If you simply can’t resist, have a small portion of a light cheese, like mozzarella, with whole wheat bread or crackers.