7 Best Post-Workout Snacks ...

1. Peanut Butter and Banana on Rice Cakes

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Rice cakes offer plenty of extra fiber without empty carbs! And peanut butter will give you something a little more substantial to snack on. While bananas are full of sugar, eating one after a workout is nothing to bat an eyelash at because the uptake will be rapid! Your energy will be quickly replenished with this healthy snack!

2. Yogurt and Fresh Berries

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Protein contains amino acids that help build muscle. So it makes a great post-workout snack! Low fat yogurt can pack as much as 15 grams of protein, and the berries give you carbohydrate-driven energy! Now that's a great snack!

3. Turkey and Cheese with Apple Slices

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If you don't feel like making a sandwich, skip the bread and have the fillings on their own! Spread a soft cheese wedge over two or three slices of lean turkey then roll it up for a quick, high protein, eat-on-the-go snack. Add a sliced apple for some energy boosting carbs. You're good to go!

4. Protein Shake with a Banana

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After a workout, you want ample protein combined with a carbohydrate. So gulp down a protein shake made from whey protein, water, and half a banana! Your body will quickly convert it into energy and use it to build muscle.

5. Tuna on Whole Wheat

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What could be more filling after a workout than half a sandwich? And when you choose its filling wisely, you'll be building muscle while you eat, too! Research shows that carbs and protein together have a better response to post-workout recovery. Tuna drizzled with a little lemon juice and olive oil spread over a slice of whole wheat bread is an ideal protein/carb mini-meal.

6. Oatmeal

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One of the yummiest, simplest snacks to make is oatmeal! It is loaded with protein, refuels the carbs, and it's a good source of fiber. I love the cinnamon maple and brown sugar flavor! Oatmeal is really easy to make and for some reason it's a comfort food.

7. Grilled Chicken Breast

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Think this snack sounds too time-consuming to make? Not if you think ahead! On a Saturday or Sunday night, grill up a few chicken breast sprinkled with lemon, honey and basil. Then pop them in a baggie in the freezer and after a workout, defrost in the microwave! Simple as that. Or if you're not much of a cook, Tyson has pre-cooked chicken strips that taste just as yummy!

The post-workout snack is responsible for replenishing the body with lost sugar and nutrients during a hard, intense workout and helping the body to recover. Research shows that people who have a post-workout snack (particularly one high in protein) will have bigger muscle gains than those that don't after a 30-day period. So eat up and tone down!

Top Photo Credit: SeetYing