post workout meal

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/ is a great website that gives you a lot of important information about workout out in general and then also focuses on key areas. One link I found http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/nutrition/a/aa081403.htm talks about how important the post meal workout is for ones body.It talks about how hydration after exercise is very important. It is the first nutritional priority after exercise that replaces any fluid lost during your exercise. In general drink 20-24 fl oz water for every 1 lb lost. 

Secondly, eating after exercise is very important. It is important to consume carbohydrate, such as fruit or juice) within 15 minutes post-exercise to help restore glycogen. Also carbohydrate plus protein speeds recovery. Most people may think all they have to do is eat a lot of protein, but that is not true. Carbs are necessary as well. 

Research also shows that combining protein with carbohydrate within thirty minutes of exercise nearly doubles the insulin response, which results in more stored glycogen. The optimal carbohydrate to protein ratio for this effect is 4:1 (four grams of carbohydrate for every one gram of protein). Eating more protein than that, however, has a negative impact because it slows rehydration and glycogen replenishment.

Consuming protein has other important uses after exercise. Protein provides the amino acids necessary to rebuild muscle tissue that is damaged during intense, prolonged exercise. It can also increase the absorption of water from the intestines and improve muscle hydration. The amino acids in protein can also stimulate the immune system, making you more resistant to colds and other infections.

All in all if you are looking for the best way to refuel your body after long, strenuous endurance exercise, a 4:1 combo of carbohydrate and protein seems to be your best choice. While solid foods can work just as well as a sports drink, a drink may be easier to digest make it easier to get the right ratio and meet the 30 minute window.