6 of the best foods and drinks to eat after exercising

You picked out a killer playlist, stretched thoroughly and then gave 150 percent in your workout. So now you’re done, right? Not so fast. “The food you eat within the first few minutes after a workout is one of the most important and underrated parts of training,” says personal trainer Lisa Reed.

In order to help your body recover faster, as well as repair and build new muscle tissue, you’ll want to refuel soon after working out with a small amount of carbohydrates and protein. How soon? Research has shown that consuming a post-exercise meal immediately after working out (i.e., within 15 minutes) is better than eating an hour afterward, Reed tells us. So with that in mind, here are the best post-workout snacks to pack in your gym bag.