What Actually Happens When You Don’t Eat After a Workout?

You might think that you’re doing yourself a favor by not eating after a workout. You just burned a ton of calories, so it wouldn’t make sense to eat them all back, right? WRONG! Eating after a workout can make or break your weight loss success.

First, it’s important to understand what kind of foods you should eat after a workout. Your body just burned a ton of energy in the form of carbohydrates and amino acids (which build muscle!), so it’s super important to get those back so that your body can recover. Franklin Antoian, founder of iBodyFit.com, says that you need to eat a quickly-digestible meal or snack of protein and carbs. Carbs replace the energy you burned, and protein repairs tissue and builds muscle.

Another important thing to remember? Timing is everything when it comes to refueling after a workout. Dr. Matt Tanneburg says your body has 30 minutes to capitalize on your amped-up metabolism.

“After a workout, your metabolism stays revved for another couple of hours,” Dr. Tanneburg says. “That means that you are burning more calories after your workout than you normally do throughout the day. If you don’t replenish your body with nutrition, your body will naturally start consuming your protein stores. You want to make sure to eat within that 30-minute window in order to have your body recovery and replenish as it should.”

What happens if you miss that 30-minute window? Your body will draw fuel from your glycogen stores (your already existing stores of carbs and protein) and could slow down recovery by a few days rather than a few hours. You’ll be sore and tired longer, which means you won’t be able to train as hard during your next workout, which means you won’t be able to burn as many calories. (The exact opposite of what you want to do!)

The bottom line that eating simple carbs and protein is incredibly important when it comes to replenishing your body after a workout. “Starving yourself is never the answer to effective weight loss,” says Triathlon Hacks contributor and physical trainer Charlotte Campbell. “Also, eating junk food because you think you have ‘earned it’ will also not do you any favors.” 

Pack a protein bar or whip up a smoothie! Your waistline will thank you in the long run.

Source: http://www.skinnymom.com/what-actually-happens-when-you-dont-eat-after-a-workout/

Feta-Stuffed Chicken

Trying to impress the in-laws this weekend? Whip up this seemingly fancy dish — it’s not hard, we promise. Think of the ooey gooey mixture of spinach, garlic, basil and Feta cheese seeping through the chicken breast. Is your mouth watering yet? At only 208 calories per chicken breast, this recipe will surely be a keeper.

Recipe: Feta-Stuffed Chicken

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 35-40 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Serving size: 1 breast

Ingredients

• 4 (4-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1 pound)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• ⅓ cup reduced-fat Feta cheese crumbles
• ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried parsley
• ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
Other:
• 8 toothpicks

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 ℉. Lightly spray a casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2. Place chicken breasts in a plastic bag or in between wax paper. Using a rolling pin or a meat mallet, pound chicken to about ¼-inch thick.
3. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and black pepper, then reserve on a plate.
4. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the spinach, garlic, and basil. Cook until spinach is heated through, about 8 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and stir in the Feta cheese.
6. Evenly distribute spinach mixture onto each chicken breast.
7. Roll the breasts up and secure the ends together with 2 toothpicks. Place the chicken in the casserole dish, seam-side down.
8. Heat the same saucepan over medium-low heat and add the chicken broth, lemon juice, butter, and the remaining seasonings. Cook until the butter has melted and sauce has warmed through, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
9. Drizzle ½ cup of sauce over chicken and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 ℉.

Nutrition Information

Per Serving: (1 breast)

Calories: 208

Calories from fat: 73

Fat: 8g

Saturated Fat: 3g

Cholesterol: 77mg

Sodium: 694mg

Carbohydrates: 4g

Fiber: 1g

Sugar 0g

Protein: 27g

WWP+: 8

SmartPoints: 4

Source: http://www.skinnymom.com/feta-stuffed-chicken/

Easy Slow Cooker Poached Pears

This is an easy dessert that looks and tastes elegant. The natural sweetness of the pears complements the vanilla and cinnamon perfectly for a new family-favorite dessert. Start the pears before you begin making dinner and the house will be filled with the overwhelming, comforting aroma of vanilla, cinnamon and cloves. Top off your pears with an optional dollop of yogurt (or whipped topping) and a slight drizzle of honey to show off your plating skills!

Recipe: Easy Slow Cooker Poached Pears

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 2-4 hours on high

Yield: 4 servings

Serving size: 2 pear halves

Ingredients

• 4 pears
• 1 vanilla bean, split in half
• 1½ cups 100% apple juice
• 10 whole cloves
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• rind of 1 lemon
• ¼ cup chopped walnuts
Optional*:
• Greek yogurt or whipped topping
• honey
• additional cinnamon
• *Optional ingredients are not included in nutrition calculations.

Instructions

1. Peel each pear and slice them in half lengthwise. Place the halves cut side-down in the slow cooker.
2. Place each vanilla bean half on a cutting board. Hold the end of one bean and drag a paring knife away from you along the bean pod to scrape off the vanilla. It will build up on the blade of your knife, so carefully wipe it off. Repeat with the other half.
3. Add the vanilla bean seeds, empty pod, apple juice, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and lemon rind to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours, depending on your slow cooker.
4. The pears should be dark in color (due to the cinnamon stick and vanilla bean) and very soft, so a paring knife should easily pierce through the thickest part.
5. Carefully remove the pears with a slotted spoon or flexible spatula and reserve on plate. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine sieve into a small saucepan.
6. Simmer the liquid for about 10 minutes, or until it has reduced by about half. Add the walnuts and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to candy them slightly, then remove from the heat.
7. Place each pear half on a small rimmed plate or bowl, and evenly spoon the walnut syrup over each pear half.
8. Add an optional dollop of Greek yogurt or whipped topping, a drizzle of honey, and/or and extra dusting of cinnamon.

Nutrition Information

Per Serving: (2 pear halves)

Calories: 194

Calories from fat: 47

Fat: 5g

Saturated Fat: 1g

Cholesterol: 0mg

Sodium: 6mg

Carbohydrates: 39g

Fiber: 6g

Sugar: 27g

Protein: 2g

SmartPoints: 4

Source: http://www.skinnymom.com/recipe-easy-slow-cooker-poached-pears/

Skinny No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake

Every Thanksgiving meal needs a few great desserts! This recipe for Skinny No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake is one of our favorites. It’s super easy to make because it doesn’t require any bake time; you can whip this up the night before and let it refrigerate overnight, or make it the morning of and let the cheesecake refrigerate for a few hours. We used a reduced-fat, store-bought crust for convenience but feel free to make your own crust. The pumpkin combined with the cream cheese makes a delicious cheesecake filling that anyone who likes pumpkin and cheesecake will enjoy!

Recipe: Skinny No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake

Prep time: 10 + 4 hours chill time

Cook time: None

Yield: 8 servings

Serving size: 1 slice

Ingredients

• 1 (8-ounce) package ⅓-less-fat cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 (15-ounce) can 100% pumpkin puree
• ¾ cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon allspice
• 1 pre-made reduced fat graham cracker pie crust

Instructions

1. With an electric mixer, cream the cream cheese and sugar together until smooth.
2. Beat in the rest of the ingredients, until incorporated.
3. Pour into the prepared pie crust and refrigerate 4 hours to overnight.

Nutrition Information

Per Serving: 1 slice

Calories: 146

Calories from fat: 61

Fat: 6g

Saturated Fat: 4g

Cholesterol: 21mg

Sodium: 132 mg

Carbohydrates: 17g

Fiber: 2g

Sugar: 14g

Protein: 5g

SmartPoints: 7

Source: http://www.skinnymom.com/skinny-pumpkin-cheesecake/

Skinny Mocha Java Protein Smoothie

Protein and coffee?! Do I have your attention? I drink this shake almost every day when I’m on my way into the office. It totally satisfies my coffee fix while the protein keeps me satisfied until lunch time! If you’re looking to make the perfect smoothie, try the Blendtec blender. I love mine! It has a pre-set button for smoothies that whips them into the perfect consistency! For another deliciously flavored protein treat, try my Skinny Apple Pie Protein Shake!

Skinny Mocha Java Protein Smoothie

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: None

Yield: 1 serving

Serving size: 1 smoothie

Ingredients

• 1 cup brewed coffee, chilled
• 1 scoop Skinny Mom® Milk Chocolate Protein Powder
• 1 cup ice cubes
• 1 teaspoon stevia (or your favorite no- or zero-calorie sweetener)

Instructions

1. Blend all of the ingredients together in a blender until smooth.

Nutrition Information

Per Serving: (1 smoothie)

Calories: 91

Calories from fat: 14

Fat: 2g

Saturated Fat: 1g

Cholesterol: 42mg

Sodium: 174mg

Carbohydrates: 3g

Fiber: 0g

Sugar: 1g

Protein: 17g

SmartPoints: 2