Post-workout dinner ideas that will boost your metabolism

Nothing beats the feeling of coming home after a fantastic work out session. It’s not easy to motivate yourself to go to the gym or a class after eight hours in an office – but you found the motivation, and now you feel a million dollars. Did you know that what you put into your body after a workout is almost as important as the workout itself?

This is the time when your digestive system is working at its best. Your body will burn up whatever you put into it quickly and efficiently. Which is why it’s the best time to stuff in as many nutrients as possible. This ensures your workout has the maximum impact so that your muscles can regenerate quickly, and your metabolism will be boosted.

When you’re tired after a long day, however, it can be difficult to plan a healthy meal – so here are our favorite (quick) dinner ideas that will benefit your bod post-workout.

Green omelette – also vegan option available!

Omelettes are a great way to include lots of nutrients while packing your body full of protein. And here’s some science for you: protein helps repair and build muscle and provides the body with amino acid, which is required to build new tissue. 

Use three or four eggs to make your omelette and throw in tons of spinach, courgettes, chopped up green beans and broccoli and then simply enjoy! Of course, this there is also a vegan option! Try for example the vegan omelet with chickpea flour and wild garlic from eat this!

Grilled chicken or tofu with roasted vegetables

You probably know the typical food of bodybuilders – chicken and vegetables. It is often used as an effective way to refuel your body after the gym. This also works well with tofu.

Make sure you buy bio chicken or tofu and mix up the vegetables with some spices – we recommend broccoli, green beans, spinach, and kale. The greener, the better! Now you can briefly sauté everything in the pan or put it in the oven and wait.

Mexican stuffed sweet potatoes with or without meat

Sweet potato is one of the most nourishing foods you can eat post-workout. They’re a rich source of fiber and contain tons of vitamins and minerals, including all those important acids you need to soothe sore muscles. So there’s nothing better than munching on one of these after a sweaty gym sesh. 

Pre-heat your oven to 220 degrees and poke a few holes in the sweet potatoes. Bake for 40 minutes (or until you can put a knife easily through). While it’s baking, you can prepare the filling. Cut some onions and peppers finely and fry them in a pan with spices. Of course, you can also fry some organic meat and add it to your filling. Once the sweet potatoes are soft, cut them in half and scrape out some of the insides of the potato with a spoon. Mix your stuffing with beans and corn and add them to the sweet potatoes. Sprinkle some cheese on top if you like, and put them in the oven for another five minutes. Simply delicious!

Turkish lentil soup

This quick, easy recipe is as nourishing as it is delicious. All you need on your shopping list is: onions, red lentils and a few spices, which you can pick up at your local supermarket. The lentils serve as a great source of protein after exercise.

Instructions: Roughly chop a large onion and put it in a pot with 400 grams of lentils. Add 1.5 liters of water and boil everything for about 15 minutes until the lentils become soft. Strain the lentils, but keep the water. Meanwhile, finely chop the second onion and fry it in a pan until golden brown. Add it to the lentils with spices such as chili, garlic, and salt, and briefly purée everything. Gradually add some of the cooking water until the consistency is right – et voilà! A delicious and healthy meal is ready.

Avocado on whole grain toast (with poached eggs)

Smashed avo, anyone? There’s nothing like having breakfast for dinner and, luckily for us, it makes fantastic recovery food too! The whole grains you’ll find in carbs are slow burning, meaning your body will absorb the nutrients methodically, boosting your metabolism and mending those muscles. Not only that, but avocados and eggs are a fantastic source of protein and will be easy to digest overnight.