What should be supplemented after aerobic exercise

The core things to replenish are the lost water, consumed glycogen and a small amount of protein for repair. In most ordinary exercise scenarios, there is no need to buy additional supplements. Home-cooked food can fully meet the needs.

Last week I ran a half-marathon with a running group, and when I stopped at a roadside supply station after running 18 kilometers, I could see that everyone’s supply ideas were very different: some were munching on iced bananas, others were drinking electrolyte drinks, and some friends packed up their backpacks and went straight to the beef noodle restaurant in the alley, saying that they wanted carbohydrates and protein in one step, and they just recovered after eating.

I have also discussed related topics in running groups before. The most controversial one is whether to take sugar supplements immediately after aerobic exercise. Most of the people who insist on taking supplements are friends who are also improving their muscle-building progress. They say that if you are doing high-intensity aerobic exercise for more than 60 minutes, such as long-distance running, hill riding or interval running, you should eat some fast carbohydrates during the glycogen window half an hour after the end, such as bananas, white steamed buns, and white bread. It can quickly replenish consumed muscle glycogen and prevent excessive decomposition of muscles. However, friends who focus on fat loss do not agree with this statement at all. They feel that they have been moving for a long time just to consume glycogen and burn fat. If they just replenish sugar after finishing, is that not equivalent to running in vain?

In fact, there is nothing wrong with either statement. The core depends on your aerobic purpose and actual intensity. If you dance to Pamela and Liu Genghong for 30 minutes every day at home after get off work and break out a thin layer of sweat, there is really no need to worry about what to replenish. Just drink a few sips of warm water and have dinner as normal. Don't reward yourself with a cup of full-sugar milk tea right after dancing. That is really wasted exercise. If you go hiking for a whole day on the weekend, or run 10 kilometers on a 30-degree day in the summer, and your clothes are so wet that you can squeeze out water, then when drinking water, don’t drink it hard, sip slowly and slowly. You can pinch a little salt in the water, or drink a small amount of water. Half a bottle of electrolyte water is enough. I didn't pay attention to this when I ran at night last summer. After running, I drank two large glasses of cold water. In the middle of the night, my calves were so painful that I sat up straight away. I took ten minutes to recover. Later I found out that it was caused by excessive sweating and excessive sodium loss.

As for the protein supplement that everyone often talks about, there is no need to take out protein powder to drink. If the amount of exercise that day is really heavy, adding an extra piece of fried chicken breast to dinner, or drinking a cup of warm milk before going to bed is completely enough. Many novices around me who are new to sports rush to make protein powder after every dance. In fact, after calculating the amount of exercise, eating more boiled eggs will make up for the protein needed. It is a complete waste of money.

After all, there is no absolute standard. Just adjust according to your own exercise situation. You don’t have to be bound by the various “must supplement” and “cannot eat” rules on the Internet. The purpose of exercise is to feel comfortable.