How To Stop Overeating After A Workout

You, lovelies, are some motivated women! I’m proud of all of your hard work and discipline. One of the questions I get a lot about working out is what to eat after you’re finished up with a routine. After all, exercise makes you hungry, and sometimes you feel like you deserve a huge bowl of pasta as a reward!

I get it! There’s nothing wrong with enjoying your food but understanding the best foods to eat can help you feel full without overeating.

In the past, I had a hard time knowing what and how much to eat. In this blog, I’m going to share a few of the tips that have helped me stop overeating after working out.

TRY WORKING OUT BEFORE ONE OF YOUR REGULAR MEALS

Imagine this: you exercise around 2 pm. Dinner isn’t for several more hours. You don’t want to eat dinner, so instead you eat a handful of nuts. Those nuts don’t satisfy your hunger, so you grab some fruit. The fruit doesn’t do it either. You continue munching all the way until dinner, until FINALLY, you have a proper meal that satisfies you after your workout.

Sound familiar? If so, the best solution to this is to schedule your workout before breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It will help you cut down on snacking!  

EAT SMART

After you workout, keep up that healthy feeling! Instead of going for a pizza or other junk food, try to reward your body with the nutrients it actually wants.

It’s important to eat carbohydrates, protein, and fiber after exercising. If you eat a meal with these three things, you’re more likely to feel satisfied and less likely to overeat.

Here are some of my favorite post-workout meals.

EAT BEFORE YOUR WORKOUT FOR ENERGY

Try eating something about 30 – 60 minutes before your workout. This will help you have energy during your workout, and it will also help you feel less hungry by the end of your exercises.

It’s best to have a mix of carbohydrates and protein before working out. You can try some of these healthy snacks to give you an extra boost of energy!

THINK AHEAD: PREPARE YOUR MEALS BEFORE YOU EXERCISE

It is important to eat something pretty quickly after working out to replenish your energy levels and repair any muscle damage. I like to make my post-workout meal or snack before I work out. This is good for several reasons:

• You’ll have a delicious meal to look forward to while you workout!
• You won’t have to cook while you’re hungry!
• You won’t reach for junk food when you’re done.

RELATED POST: THE WORST THING FOR WEIGHT LOSS YOU DON’T KNOW ABOUT

EAT DURING YOUR WOKROUT

Okay, in most circumstances, this isn’t a good idea. However, if you’re going for a very long run, or a long hike, or are doing any other exercise for a significant amount of time, it is okay to eat.

Healthy protein bars (here are the ones I recommend) are a great snack to stick in your bag and eat on the trail!

DON’T FORGET WATER

You’ve probably heard me say it already, but I’ll say it again: sometimes when you’re hungry, you’re really just thirsty. Most of us don’t drink enough water anyway, and your body needs even more water after exercising.

When you’re done with a workout, you should always have a glass of water ready to drink. It will help you energy levels so much!

DON’T OVERESTIMATE YOUR WORKOUTS

It is easy to think that you burned lots more calories during a workout than you actually did. You can even overestimate your calorie burns with an activity tracker! So, be careful, and only eat when your body needs.

Even though working out plays a huge role in losing weight, your diet matters just as much. If you exercise all the time, but you still overeat or eat loads of junk food, you still won’t lose weight.

HAVE FUN DURING YOUR WORKOUTS

A lot of girls like to joke that they work out in order to eat dessert and drink lots. I think it is great to enjoy yourself in moderation, but I also don’t think that should be the reason to exercise.

If you only exercise in order to indulge, you’ll eventually give up. Instead, try to make your workouts fun and something you look forward to! The pride you feel when you finish a workout is a great reward!

Let yourself have fun and be proud of yourself when you doing something challenging. You’ll be more likely to keep exercising for the long run if it is something you enjoy.

If you hate your workouts, here a few things you can do to make them incredibly fun instead:

• Bring a friend!
• Go to an exercise class.
• Keep track of your progress and compete against yourself.
• Create fun playlists.
• Wear cute workout outfits.

DON’T EAT OUT OF HABIT

Eating out of habit or boredom is so common, so don’t worry if it something that you do. But, if it is, try to ask yourself if you’re truly hungry every time you’re about to eat. If you aren’t, put the food away until later.

EAT SLOWLY

When you’re really hungry, especially after a workout, it can be so easy to eat quickly! After all, your body needs energy! It’s best, though, to stop yourself from doing this. Try to eat slowly, and think about the food that you’re eating.

Here are a few ways I’m more mindful during a meal:

• I put away my phone and focus on my food!
• I don’t eat in front of the television, as this is a recipe for mindless snacking.
• I eat with family and try to have conversations.
• I give myself reasonable portions from the beginning.

Eating is a necessary part of looking and feeling good! Your body uses the food you eat to repair your muscles, work your brain, and keep your body balanced.

Instead of overeating after a workout, try to eat a healthy meal with lots of water instead. I hope these tips will help you to eat the right food for you!

Thanks for working so hard, lovelies!

Love Rachael Xx