Eggs: An Ideal Food to Fuel Fitness (2024)

Nutrition Eggs: An Ideal Food to Fuel Fitness (1)

Packed with high-quality protein, vitamins and minerals, eggs are the perfect post-workout snack. Learn all about what and when to eat after a workout, and why eggs should be on your post-workout menu!

Do you need protein after a workout?

Research shows that eating protein within two hours after exercise helps the body to repair and grow muscle after a workout. Protein is particularly helpful after resistance exercises like bodyweight training and weightlifting. Try to include around 15 to 25 grams of protein in your post-workout meal!

Eggs: An Ideal Food to Fuel Fitness (2)

Eggs: the perfect post-workout snack

Eggs: An Ideal Food to Fuel Fitness (3)A serving of two large eggs contains 13 grams of high-quality protein. Eggs provide all of the nine essential amino acids (also known as the building blocks of protein), making them an effective food for maintaining, building and repairing muscle.

For a portable snack to enjoy post-workout, you can’t go wrong with a simple serving of hard boiled eggs. These on-the-go spinach and cheese muffin tin frittatas also make tasty post-workout snack. Be sure to check out our article on how to Fuel up with Protein with Eggs to learn all about the importance of protein.

Eat the whole egg!

Protein is found in both the egg white and yolk, almost equally divided between the two components. Research shows whole eggs stimulate muscle growth and repair even more than just eating egg whites alone. Besides being packed with protein, the egg yolk contains important vitamins and minerals including vitamins A, D, B12, iron, folate and zinc.

Recommended protein intake for athletes

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada and the American College of Sports Medicine recommend 1.2 to 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day for athletes, depending on your training.

When it comes to getting the most health benefits from protein, it’s important to think about the timing of when you eat protein. It’s more effective to spread out the protein you eat into several meals and snacks throughout the day rather than eat all your protein at one big meal.

Protein + carbs = a winning combination

Experts recommend pairing high-quality proteins (like eggs) and easily digested carbohydrates for post-workout refueling. This powerful combo helps to refuel the body in two ways: the protein helps to build and repair muscle, and the carbohydrates help to replenish your body’s glycogen. Glycogen is the storage of carbohydrates that gets used by your body as fuel during an intense workout. Fruits, potatoes, crackers and breads are all sources of easily-digested carbohydrates.

Eggs: An Ideal Food to Fuel Fitness (4)

What’s your mealtime game plan?

Make the most of your workouts with these simple post-workout recipes that contain the ultimate refuelling combination of protein and carbohydrates.

  • Tuck scrambled eggs, hummus, sliced tomatoes, and lightly sautéed kale into a tortilla to make aKale and Egg Wrap. This healthy post-workout meal can be ready in just minutes.
  • Egg salad is easy to prepare ahead and can be stored for up to three days in the refrigerator. Keep it on hand to make a classicEgg Salad Sandwichusing your favourite bread.
  • With scrambled eggs, store-bought Greek tzatziki sauce, baby spinach and feta cheese, this Greek Burrito Snack Wrap is perfect for a quick and easy post-workout snack.

Eggs: An Ideal Food to Fuel Fitness (5)

For more ideas, explore our extensive collection ofrecipes.

Eggs: An Ideal Food to Fuel Fitness (2024)

FAQs

Eggs: An Ideal Food to Fuel Fitness? ›

Eggs provide all of the nine essential amino acids (also known as the building blocks of protein), making them an effective food for maintaining, building and repairing muscle. For a portable snack to enjoy post-workout, you can't go wrong with a simple serving of hard boiled eggs.

Are eggs good for fitness? ›

Egg whites and egg yolks are ideal protein sources that can help carry you through an intense workout. Consuming the egg whites alone is OK, but research shows eating the entire egg can help promote higher levels of muscle repair and protein.

Are eggs a good source of fuel? ›

Eggs are a moderate energy, nutrient-dense food providing 66 kcal, 6.4 g of protein and a wide range of micronutrients per medium egg, as shown in Table 1 [11]. A medium sized egg contains 4.6 g of total fat, with 1.7 g of this being monounsaturated fat.

What is the best food to fuel workout? ›

Good snack choices include:
  • An energy bar.
  • A banana, an apple or other fresh fruit.
  • Yogurt.
  • A fruit smoothie.
  • A whole-grain bagel or crackers.
  • A low-fat granola bar.
  • A peanut butter sandwich.
  • Sports drink or diluted juice.
Dec 21, 2023

What is the best way to eat eggs for fitness? ›

Eating eggs post-workout

A couple of boiled eggs with toast or a Spanish tortilla omelette with potato would make an excellent recovery meal. Eggs are also rich in leucine – research suggests that this amino acid may be a trigger for increased muscle metabolism when protein is consumed after exercise.

Can I eat 5 eggs a day for gym? ›

If you are an athlete or go for regular weight training, workouts or cardio then you can have more than two eggs a day. Weight trainees are often recommended to eat more than 5 eggs everyday. Whether they consume it with the yolk or without it again depends on their body type.

How many eggs did Arnold Schwarzenegger eat a day? ›

In a clip from Entertainment Tonight, Schwarzenegger mentioned that he ate a lot of meat and eggs: 'I ate 10-15 eggs a day and had my 250 grams of protein a day because I weighed 250 pounds.

What foods fuel a strong body? ›

Try protein foods like eggs, beans, fish, poultry, lean meat, peanut butter, milk or fortified soy beverages, yogurt, and cheese. Healthy fats. Choose foods with healthy fats like nuts, seeds, avocado, fatty fish, and corn or olive oil.

What happens if I eat eggs every day? ›

Eggs are also a great source of heart-healthy nutrients like potassium, folate and B vitamins. Some research suggests that up to two eggs per day actually improves heart health. As with anything, moderation is important, especially if you enjoy eggs daily.

What are 5 benefits of eating eggs? ›

Health Benefits of Eggs
  • They Offer Complete Protein. 1/11. ...
  • They're Nutrient Dense. 2/11. ...
  • They Help Your 'Good' Cholesterol. 3/11. ...
  • They Can Lower Your Triglycerides. 4/11. ...
  • They Can Lower Your Odds of a Stroke. 5/11. ...
  • They Help With Portion Control. 6/11. ...
  • They're Affordable. 7/11. ...
  • They're Heart Healthy. 8/11.
Jun 26, 2022

What food makes you fit? ›

Best Foods for Fitness
  • Start With Whole-Grain Cereal. 1/9. If you don't have enough to eat before you exercise, you may not have enough gas in the tank. ...
  • Grab a Banana. 2/9. ...
  • An Energy Bar in the Afternoon. 3/9. ...
  • Grilled Chicken at Mealtime. 4/9. ...
  • Black Bean Burger. 5/9. ...
  • A Bowl of Berries. 6/9. ...
  • Veggies and Hummus. 7/9. ...
  • Peanut Butter. 8/9.
Mar 22, 2024

What foods fuel muscles? ›

Your body also needs adequate amounts of protein to sustain energy levels and fix the muscle damage that occurs during exercise. Protein—nuts, leaner meats, eggs, Greek yogurt, etc—fuels workouts and facilitates recovery by providing the amino acids needed for muscle repair.

What foods give you the most fuel? ›

9 Delicious Foods for Fuel
  • Berries. ...
  • Butter. ...
  • Chocolate. ...
  • Coconut. ...
  • Mushrooms. ...
  • Protein. ...
  • Red Onion. Red onion is a very high-energy food loaded with antioxidants and flavonoids. ...
  • Spinach. Spinach gives a steady release of energy and has superfood status for its wide-ranging positive impacts on health.

Why do gym people eat so many eggs? ›

Eggs: the perfect post-workout snack

A serving of two large eggs contains 13 grams of high-quality protein. Eggs provide all of the nine essential amino acids (also known as the building blocks of protein), making them an effective food for maintaining, building and repairing muscle.

What is the healthiest way to eat eggs? ›

Overall, shorter and lower-heat cooking methods cause less cholesterol oxidation and help retain most of the egg's nutrients. For this reason, poached and boiled (either hard or soft) eggs may be the healthiest to eat. These cooking methods also don't add any unnecessary calories.

How many eggs a day to build muscle? ›

Eating 2-3 eggs per day can be a good source of protein to support muscle building, as eggs are rich in high-quality protein and essential amino acids.

How many eggs can I eat in a day for workout? ›

Eating 2-3 eggs per day can be a good source of protein to support muscle building, as eggs are rich in high-quality protein and essential amino acids.

Is it better to eat egg before or after workout? ›

Eggs are a fantastic source of protein that can turn any breakfast into a great one – but they're also a great meal to incorporate before a workout. Since they are loaded with nutrients and protein, they can help synthesize muscles as they break down during a workout while also providing you energy.

Will eating eggs make me muscular? ›

Are eggs good for building muscle? Muscles need protein to repair and grow. Eggs are rich in high quality protein – supplying all 9 essential amino acids - and are therefore an ideal choice for post-workout nutrition. The greater your muscle mass, the more calories you burn, even when resting.

Are eggs good for bulking or cutting? ›

Eggs contain high quality protein , which could help benefit muscle building and recovery. Proteins are made up of amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein. Eggs contain large amounts of the amino acid leucine. This is particularly important for maximizing how your body synthesizes protein for muscle gain.

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