The key to achieving the best post-workout meal for muscle gain in India is the perfect balance of nutrients. A well-rounded option includes rice or roti, chicken or fish, and an assortment of seasonal vegetables. This provides your body with the essential blend of protein, carbohydrates, and fats it craves. For those looking for a convenient solution to boost their muscle-building journey, protein shakes come to the rescue. They offer the ideal 15-20 grams of protein per serving.
Whey protein concentrate is a cost-effective choice, while isolate options provide a higher protein punch. The Indian culinary palette offers a variety of tasty and nutritious choices, whether it’s your hearty Indian lunch or a snack comprising of lemon, chickpeas, peanuts, or nutrient-dense dry fruits. It’s important to maintain a 3:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein in your post-workout meal for effective weight gain. By focusing on smaller, well-balanced meals throughout the day and combining locally available food options, you can steer your muscle-building journey in the right direction. After an intense workout session, remember to consume at least 25 grams of fast-digesting protein to support muscle recovery and growth.
Completing your post-workout routine with proper hydration, cleanliness, and stretching is also essential. In this blog, I will guide you through the most effective practices to ensure that your post-workout meals in India are tailored for muscle gain success. Personally, I work out in the late evenings and after that, I straight get to dinner. My dinner consists of fish/chicken, rice, vegetables etc.
This is my best post-workout meal for muscle growth in India which provides protein, carbohydrates, and fat.
The best post-workout meal for muscle gain in India would be a full meal of rice/roti, chicken/fish, and lots of seasonal vegetables.
Or just get a protein shake.
But as a full meal, our usual diets would do great.
You do not need to go fancy for weight gain in India. Our usual food recipes are enough for providing high energy levels for intense workouts.
And I do not pay attention to the measurements and if you are not a pro bodybuilder then do not mind those too.
Just eat healthy Indian food and you will be good.
But to boost muscle gain, you should opt for a protein shake after a workout.
I myself take the protein shake before a workout.
That is my pre-workout meal.
Top 3 best post workout meal for muscle gain India
I am not a cook and depend on others to make my food, 🙁 And I would suggest that you try to eat as much Indian food that is being home cooked as well.
Naturally, Indian foods are healthy to suit both weight loss and weight gain goals.
Ps: I would not recommend measuring your food in grams. That makes things complicated. But do keep the portion of rice or rooti/chapati small.
Make the portion of meat, fish, vegetables, and paneer larger.
See some examples below of what I would do.
Casein Protein vs Whey Protein for weight gain
Protein shake for muscle gain
Without a doubt, a protein shake is the best post-workout meal for muscle gain in India if you are into bodybuilding or athleticism.
I do not endorse mass gainers, since all they contain is oats and some amount of protein.
As per countless studies and reports like this, consuming 15–20 grams of protein is recommended. Studies have found that consuming more than this does not result favorably, so—only one scoop of whey will do for your post-workout nutrition and so-called muscle protein synthesis.
And you can just buy them separately to make your own mass gainers.
Add fruits, peanuts, dates, milk, honey, and a protein powder to get the best shake to gain muscle.
You might want to go for isolates to get more protein intake per scoop, but that will be costly, so you can stick to whey concentrate as well.
For vegan guys and girls, get pea and brown protein blends, and you are good to go.
But the taste can be horrible, I should warn you first! 🙂
And if you have allergies, then you might want to skip milk and peanuts.
If you do not have allergies, then as per researched data milk as a post-workout drink might help you manage weight while providing you with proper nutrients. Cottage cheese, Egg whites will help you increase your dietary protein intake as well.
And whey isolates, and plant proteins will always be good lean protein options anyway.
These two do not cause any allergic reactions.
An overall protein shake is a great post-workout meal in India.
Full Indian Meal for muscle gain
Indian meals naturally offer a balanced diet of protein, carbs, and fat.
Just take any usual lunch at my home.
Which consists of white rice, dal, vegetable curry, fish/chicken.
And perhaps something sweet and sour thrown in too.
This essentially offers all the nutrients that you will ever need to gain muscle.
As per a study, with Indian diet offers 72 grams of protein for vegetarians and 78 grams of protein for non-vegetarians.
And if you check the graph made by the researchers here, the top source of protein is chicken, with 25 grams of protein per serving per day on average.
Chicken as lean meat is a good source of quality protein for anybody.
And this usually works if you work out before dinner or lunch.
Otherwise, you have to eat some snacks or a protein shake after a workout to gain muscle in India.
But do not eat your stomach full. Eating on a full stomach might increase acidity.
Rather keep some space and eat a snack after a few hours 🙂
Indian Snacks for muscle gain
If you want something tasty then start with lemon, chickpeas, and onions.
And you can throw in peanuts as well.
This will be tasty and will provide naturally occurring protein, fat, and vitamins to you.
Better than fast food.
You can also make chikkis with dry fruits too. Dry fruits are nutrient-dense foods, which will give you an energy boost after an intense exercise session.
You can carry a pack of mix nuts to the gym and eat after your resistance training session.
But I would not go through the hassle of cooking it, so I would just eat all those dry fruits together.
All of these will give you a combination of protein and complex carbs.
Post-workout meal for weight gain
Stop counting calories and eat to your heart contents, and get ready to eat after 3-4 hours as well.
That is, if you are having a large meal after a workout.
For weight gain, if you are considering a large meal then you can eat a few rooti with dal, a vegetable dish.
If you are non-vegetarian then a chicken soup/ chicken dish of any kind and rice would do great.
Just do not get overboard with spices and oil.
For small meals, if you are looking for post-workout meals for weight gain then a handful of peanuts, almonds, raisins would do great. If you want to buy protein shakes, then this is also the best time to get your protein shake or mass gainer as well.
As per American Council on Exercise, you should eat small meals throughout the day, eat nutrient and calorie-dense food items and your post-workout meal should have carbs and protein in the ratio of 3:1 ratio.
- Ratio of carbohydrates: 30 gram
- Ration of protein: 10 gram
Consumption of protein post-workout is not as important as you think it is. You should just focus on getting high-quality protein throughout the day with balanced meals.
Post-workout meal vegetarian
If you do not mind whey proteins, then this is the best time to eat it as a post-workout meal for a vegetarian. As per research, protein might help you with recovery.
Just 25 grams of protein powder would do.
And as a snack, you can munch on all types of dry fruits. All these will help you gain weight.
And since you are a vegetarian I would want you to eat paneer, milk, curds, lentils, and peas with almost every meal.
All of these should help you with the muscle-building process, and recovery process and help increase muscle size.
As you know veg protein sources are not so great when compared to animal sources so you better get protein from every meal.
Things not to do after workout
Not eating: After a workout you should ideally get a protein shake. If you can not like me, then you can get a decent meal with protein, carbs and fat. This would do too. But for serious muscle gain, protein shakes all the way.
Not drinking water: Oh boy, I sweat a lot and I always keep drinking water while I am working out. And I would suggest that you do it too. Our bodies are made up of 70% water, so keep drinking. Water, that is. As per reputable sources, you should drink up the water you lost during a workout in 2–3 hours.
Cleaning yourself: All that sweat definitely does not feel right. So get a cold shower if required. Cleaning will also help with maintaining body hygiene and hopefully, you will be healthy.
Stretch: Foam roll or stretching, you should do any of these to relax your muscles. It will also help you to reduce the effects of DOMS as per this 2021 study.
Ref: Research Data
FAQ
Can i eat chapati before workout?
Chapati will give you slow digesting carbs but do not eat your stomach full otherwise you would not be able to workout and feel heavy.
How many chapatis should i eat in a day to lose weight?
Chapati is not known for having any effect on losing weight. You should rather not eat them after workout or eat just one. Better eat a lot of vegetables.
Can i eat rice after workout?
Yes you can eat rice after workout. I do it too. But it will be better if you eat brown rice. And this is essentially not good for weight loss but for weight gain eating rice after a workout will do well.
Is chapati good for muscle building?
Yes you can eat chapati for muscle building. Combine that chapati with meat, paneer and you are set for a full meal of protein, carbs and fat.
Can i eat fruits after workout?
Fruits like banana, dates and other sweet taste like fruits will do better as an after workout snack in my opinion. These will provide the vitamins, minerals and the sucrose to get you going.
What should I eat after a workout to build muscle?
You can just eat a boiled egg and some bread after a workout in India to build muscle. If you are vegetarian then a portion of paneer will help with building muscle too.
Which food is best after workout?
In general banna, oats, chicken, whey protein will work best after a workout. These type of foods naturally contain vitamins, minerals and protein to help you build muscle.
How many eggs eat after workout?
Considering each egg provides 8 gram of protein thus 2-3 eggs after workout will do great. I would not go more than this since it might cause bloating and digestion issues. But 2-3 eggs are great for muscle building.
What should I eat 30 minutes before a workout?
Oats, chicken, and bananas are good options for Indians to eat 30 minutes before a workout. Ideally the food should have some carbohydrates so you get the energy from them. And for boosted alertness you can just eat coffee. You do not need pre workout drinks for this.
Is milk good after a workout?
Milk does have casein so it will stay inside of your body provide food to the muscles. If you do not have any stomach issues with milk then you can eat it. But certainly in one glass of milk you will not find much protein.
What should not eat after workout?
Sugar based drinks, simple carbs are not useful food to eat after workout. Rather you should eat some food combo that provides protein, carbs and some fat.
Is daliya good for gym?
Daliya is good for gym if you want to gain weight. You can eat as a breakfast or as a snack to maximize the benefits. Apart from the weight gain benefit it will also help your gut health.
Is paneer good for gym?
Paneer is good for gym, paneer provides casein protein which will make you feel full and the protein will help you with recovery or muscle building. For vegetarians paneer is a good option and can be eaten everyday.
Is ghee good for muscle building?
In short the ghee we eat in India is filled with good fatty acids which is helpful to our body. But ghee by nature contains dense calories. So if you are not mindful then you will be adding body fat as well. But when eaten in moderation, ghee will provide you the energy you need to workout in the gym.
Is building muscle a slow process?
Yes, even with proper diet and world cass training the muscle building is a slow process. In India you should do more compound moves to stimulate your whole body for faster muscle building.
Is sleeping after gym good?
Absolutely, a small nap will expedite your muscle recovery and you will feel fresh after the nap. And if you eat a nutrients rich meal after working out and the sleep, then the effects will be much greater. Consider eating casein before sleeping for 7-8 hours and your DOMS will be low and muscle gain will be at best.
Is a glass of milk enough protein after workout?
If you are consuming only a glass of milk after workout and have no other protein rich food throughout the day then NO. one glass of milk is around 200ml and you can see it does not offer a high amount of protein. But when combined with other food item this can work. Overall milk is a great food item which offers many vitamins, minerals and protein.
Is banana good after workout?
Banana can promote quicker recovery due to the mineral it has. And if you remember during our school sports day we all were given bananas to eat after an event. If you going to a gym, then you can simply carry one in your bag. It is also very convenient to carry.
Does eating junk food after a workout ruin it?
Absolutely it will. Eating junk food after working out will make your metabolism slow and more importantly junk food offers no nutrient value. Thus your muscle will not have proper food to recover and grow. This can lead to muscle breakdown and fat gain.
What happens if you don’t eat after workout?
If you do not eat after workout you lose the gains. That’s it. The food after workout will help your body with all the nutrients to repair itself. If you do not provide the food then your body will breakdown the muscles and you will not recover. You might also feel fatigued. And there can also be some bloating and acidity as well.
Does Dalia increase weight?
Dalia alone will not help you increase your weight. To gain weight you will need to eat more calories than what you are used. Dalia is a good food item with lots of benefits and you can go for dalia khichdi as a weight gainer food.
The Last Rep!
Lastly, I would say you need around 25 grams of fast-digesting protein after your workout. And you can have protein bars, shakes, chicken rice, paneer, etc for this.
A carbohydrates to protein ratio of 3:1 is well researched thus you should tweak your protein supplement or protein content according to that.
In simple words, if you are taking a protein shake, take 75 grams of complex carbohydrates (Oats) and 25 grams of whey protein.
And you are all set for a muscle recovery and muscle-building process, scientifically.
