eating after a workout

Therefore, by consuming a large amount of carbohydrates, you will promote a large insulin release, increase glycogen storage, and increase protein repair. Research has shown that a carbohydrate intake of 0.8 to 1.2 grams per 1 kilogram of body weight maximizes glycogen synthesis and accelerates protein repair. However, unless you've had a very long, intense workout, 1.2g/kg may be a bit excessive as excess carbohydrate can be converted to bodyfat.

Therefore I recommend 0.8g of carbohydrate per 1 kilogram of body weight for speeding up muscle carbohydrate replenishment while preventing excess fat gain (van Loon et al 2000a).

In addition, since muscle protein is degraded during exercise, the addition of a relatively large amount of protein to your post exercise meal is necessary to help rebuild the structural aspects of the muscle. After exercise, the body decreases its rate of protein synthesis and increases its rate of protein breakdown. However, the provision of protein and amino acid solutions has been shown to reverse this trend, increasing protein synthesis and decreasing protein breakdown.

Researchers have used anywhere from 0.2g - 0.4g of protein per 1 kilogram of body weight to demonstrate the effectiveness of adding protein to a post-workout carbohydrate drink (van Loon et al 2000b, Roy et al 1998). As an increased consumption of the essential amino acids may lead to a more positive protein balance, 0.4g/kg may be better than 0.2g/kg.

Taken from http://bodybuilding.com/fun/berardi4.htm That is the quickest and easiest article and it coincides with other research I have done on that topic. If you go to Google Scholar and type in "post exercise nutrition" or similar phrases you will get lots of good information.

After a workout - you should try and eat within 40mins of completing the workout - its is almost (not quite) free calories as your body is still burning from your workout!

I find if I eat straight after - normally a piece of fruit - small sandwich - I don't eat as much for dinner - which I try to eat before 9pm (not always easy)

For dinner - I eat much the same as you - carb, protien and vegetables - but I try not to eat a huge amount because if you go to bed within an hour after eating- it is a lot to digest especially when trying to get to sleep.

So I guess I am saying, it is fine to eat loads after a workout - eat as quickly as possible after - but bear in mind going to bed on a full stomach!

I keep a protein shake in the car in a cooler ready to drink right after my workout OR a greek yogurt. That way when I get home I'm not starving and my body is being refueled right away.

Here's a good article
http://www.intense-workout.com/post_workout.html