EAT TO RECOVER

FROM SANDWICHES TO FRUIT SMOOTHIES, GETTING THE PROPER NUTRIENTS WILL BENEFIT YOUR RECOVERY AND EVEN SUBSEQUENT RIDES.

- DANIELLE ZICKL

WE KNOW THAT FUELLING the right way before and during a ride can really make or break your performance - there's nothing worse than a ride taking longer than expected, and praying you find a petrol station for emergency jelly babies before you bonk. But your post-workout meal is just as important.

Taking in the proper nutrients after a ride of any length or intensity can benefit your recovery and even subsequent rides, says nutritionist Melissa Majumdar, a dietician and certified specialist in obesity and weight management. Let's look at everything you need to know about what to eat after a ride or a workout, and what might happen if you don't refuel your body properly.

CARBS AND PROTEIN ARE KEY

Whether you just got back from a 45-minute spin to help clear your mind or a hilly four-hour long ride, carbs and protein are the most important nutrients you need to refuel. It's best to get something in your system between 30 and 60 minutes after exercise.

Majumdar explains that carbs are used for glycogen repletion; and if you don't replace the carbs you used up on a ride, you can feel sluggish, weak and sore in the coming hours and days, including on your next ride. Protein is used to repair and build your muscles, she says, so if you don't consume enough protein after the ride, your muscles' recovery process may be impeded.

However, length and intensity of workout do play a role in the amount you need to consume. During your ride, Majumdar advises to aim for 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrates per hour; and on the higher end of that for longer or more intense rides.