You found the motivation to work out and move your body, now on to the next accomplishment … what to fuel your muscles with post-sweat. Feeding your body the right nutrients with healthy cooking doesn’t have to be complicated.
That’s why we spoke to our girl Shauna Faulisi, a celebrity wellness chef, holistic nutritionist, and someone with a realistic, delicious perspective on food.
Shauna outlined some easy guidelines, and we recommend you bookmark or pin this page for simple ways to enrich your diet.
• Stick to a fist-size serving of protein (4-6 ounces), and make sure it’s a high-quality protein source like grass-fed collagen, plant-based hemp protein, organic meats, and organic pastured eggs.
• Add in high-quality extra virgin olive oil, avocado, coconut oil, grass-fed butter, and raw nuts. They are all anti-inflammatory and wonderful sources of healthy fat.
• Incorporate aboveground leafy vegetables after a workout to help neutralize the acid that’s released. We want to keep our bodies in a state of alkalinity, otherwise the body will leach calcium from the bones to neutralize acidity.
• Be smart with your carbohydrates. Your muscles use up glycogen more quickly after a workout. So if you’re doing a resistance training workout, you can indulge in some carb cycling to refuel your glycogen stores. Keep in mind that carbohydrate consumption should be based on your activities, so if you’re strictly running, you won’t need as many as when you’re weight training.
Shauna notes, “This isn’t a free-for-all to have pastries and grains. Stick to pure, whole carbohydrates like berries, carrots, sweet potatoes, spaghetti squash, butternut squash, delicata, and the like! They’re a super clean source of carbohydrates filled with vitamins and minerals.”
And of course, she reminds us, “Only you know what works best for you. Experiment, play around, and take note.” There is no magic-pill, one-size-fits-all diet or routine. In Shauna’s practice, she makes prepared foods for delivery as well as special for her clients’ needs. She has generously outlined a few of her favorite post-workout recipes below.
Note that dinner should be similar to your Perfect Salad: a large amount of veggies, moderate protein, and a serving of fat.
Batch cook your favorite aboveground veggies like broccoli, Brussels sprouts (I love them shaved and crispy), cauliflower rice, etc. Make it easy and bake them in your oven for 30-40 minutes at 385° F.
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