Lifting is great and some people enjoy the soreness they feel the
next day after an intense workout while others really can't stand it --
especially if they did a crazy leg workout. But you know the phrase: You
can feel sore or you can feel sorry. Feeling sore can offer a sense of
achievement. Still, it's important to recover from many long training
sessions, so try incorporating the foods below to recuperate more
quickly.
Why Do I Feel Sore? Many people feel the soreness but aren't
sure where the pain comes from. The question that I get most often is,
"How
come I feel sore the day after, but not that same day?" The answer
is Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). So what causes this? When you
work out, you are creating tiny tears in your muscles. This is normally a
result of high intensity exercises such as heavy lifting or sprinting.
Your muscles then want to recover, so they begin to heal themselves.
Consuming an adequate amount of protein and nutrients, while giving your
body enough time to rest helps accomplish this; and your muscles are
built during this phase. That's why recovery days are very important.
1) Whole Grain Cereal: You may have heard that you should eat carbs before
a workout, which is true, but you should also consume them after as
well. Carbohydrates can help your body fight the fatigue that it feels
after a workout by restoring your glycogen stores. When you exercise,
you are using up all of your glycogen stores (or energy stores.) It's
really important to replenish them after a workout so that you do not
experience that sleepy feeling. Any carbohydrate snack will do but whole
grains are always the best choice.
2) Cherries: Cherries are kind of like a magical fruit. They
have many anti-inflammatory properties, which are really important for
relieving muscle soreness. The antioxidant that gives cherries this
healing ability is called anthocyanins. Many athletes consume tart
cherry juice prior to workouts for this reason. Instead of popping that
ibuprofen or Advil, reach for some nice, fresh cherries or cherry juice
instead.
3) Nuts: Walnuts, almonds, brazil nuts -- whatever kind of
nuts you want. All kinds of nuts are very high in Vitamin E. This
vitamin has muscle strengthening powers which will ultimately help to
fight muscle soreness. Once you begin to get stronger, you will notice
that you are not as sore as you were when you first began training. When
you have been training for a while, your muscles are stronger and you
don’t tear the muscle as much as you did in the beginning. Less tears
equals less soreness. Vitamin E also helps repair the damage that was
done to the muscle tissue. Eat foods high in Vitamin E, like nuts, to
help build that muscle strength…and keep training.
4) Berries: Berries such as strawberries, blueberries,
blackberries and raspberries all contain antioxidants called
polyphenols. These antioxidants are what protect your cells against
damage. Aside from their ability to reduce muscle pain, they also help
protect against all the other damages that can be done to our cells that
can cause cancer. Generally, the darker the berry, the more
antioxidants it contains so try to eat dark berries such as blackberries
and blueberries. They are a healthy and delicious snack. You can even
throw them into your protein shake for an added bonus.
5) Salmon: Fish in general is loaded with protein and a ton of
essential fatty acids. Fatty acids help to reduce inflammation which in
turn fights muscle soreness. Not a fan of fish? Take a fish oil
supplement.
6) Eggs: Particularly egg yolks. Ignore the cholesterol
factor. Eggs are high in protein and Vitamin D. Both of these two things
help fight muscle soreness and aid in muscle growth. Vitamin D has
become one of the biggest deficiencies in the American diet. It is
really important to consume foods high in this vitamin, especially to
help reduce muscle pain. Many people tend to get rid of the yolk of the
egg because of the added cholesterol and calories but those calories in
the yolk are all really good calories. They provide vitamin D and
protein. Eat the whole egg. If you do have high cholesterol, try to
limit yourself to a couple whole eggs a week and consume Vitamin D
fortified low fat milk.
Overview: All of these foods are high in many nutrients and
vitamins that your body needs on a daily basis in order to sustain life.
They all have the ability to reduce muscle soreness and inflammation so
it's important to include them in your diet. Now, they aren't really
"super" foods. If you have sore muscles and eat some eggs, you aren't
going to automatically feel better but they will aid in the healing
process. Aside from getting the right nutrients, it's important to allow
yourself some rest. Taking one to two days a week off heavy training
will be very beneficial for body. If you are an exercise freak and need
to get to the gym, take it easy. Do some light cardio or lift lighter.
You really only experience soreness when you push yourself to your
limits.
Adapted from: DualFit.com
