As a lean, clean protein, rich in vital nutrients — including omega-3 fatty acids like DHA and EPA — wild-caught seafood happens to be an optimal post-workout fuel to help you get the most out of your session.
What Nutrition Researchers Are Saying
If your workout regimen involves any acute resistance exercise — whether that’s with weights or your own body weight — your muscles are going to be particularly receptive to the effects of amino acids for at least a day into their recovery, so you will want to keep chowing down on high-quality sources of protein for the next few meals that follow your workout to help your body do its thing.
According to the findings of a recent study published in Frontiers in Nutrition, you want to consume approximately 1.6g of protein for every kilo of your own body weight each day to help your muscle tissues recover and make efficient strength gains. This ratio is actually twice the Recommended Dietary Allowance set by the FDA (.8g of protein per kilo) which isn’t designed to correspond with ideal exercise regimens. At bare minimum, you’ll want to consume 1.2g/kg to support your body, but some folks will benefit from eating up to 2.0g/kg.
Following the 1.6g/kg ratio, someone who weighs 68kg (about 150lbs) will want to consume about 108g of protein over the course of each day through a healthy variety of foods. What this variety looks like — grains, legumes, veggies, dairy — depends on your specific dietary protocol.
For your reference, a six-ounce serving of sockeye packs in about 44g of protein, the most protein-dense fillet we offer. Coho is just a couple grams shy of sockeye, containing 42g for the same-sized portion, while the white-fleshed varieties of wild-caught seafood range anywhere between 30g and 38g per six-ounce serving. That means eating one fillet a day will get you part of the way to effectively fueling your muscles after working out.
It’s not just the protein that helps you get the most out of your workout. The omega-3 fatty acids in salmon may have the ability to help you build lean muscle mass while decreasing muscle soreness. As anti-inflammatory agents, they also can fend off oxidative stress that can occur following an intense workout and maintain joint health to help support your fitness goals over the long run.
Breakfast of Champions (Any Time of Day)
If you’ve ever watched Rocky, you know that eggs are a classic food of choice when you’re working out. Combine eggs with wild-caught salmon, and you’ve got a double dose of nutrient-rich protein to replenish your body. Whether you’re someone who works out in the morning or someone who is into breakfast all day, we have a whole list of recipe ideas for you in our blog post with salmon-for-breakfast inspo, covering everything from breakfast tacos to scrambles and frittatas to keto salmon cakes.
Fuel Up with a Snack
Even if you can’t get a full meal in shortly after your workout, many nutritionists advise you to get something in your belly stat. Getting in a quick serving of protein with or without a dose of complex carbohydrates is an essential way to support your muscle tissue and keep you energized.
Take a snack break with wild-caught seafood! Try keeping a small parcel of salmon jerky stashed in your pocket to nosh on immediately after your cool-down. Or, have a ready-to-eat container of a fish dip that you can schmear on a piece of whole-grain toast when you get home. We’ve got more snack hacks for you in our blog post here.
Captain’s Cuts for a Fuel in a Flash
Don’t have anything ready to eat right after your workout, or don’t mind cooking something up quick? Our Captain’s Cuts of sockeye are great to use in a pinch; they’ll be defrosted in about 30 minutes if you haven’t planned ahead. Once they’re thawed, due to their size — the cuts total 6 ounces, but they’re portioned to anywhere between 2 to 4 ounces and tend to be thinner as a result — they cook up within a matter of minutes and can be used as a slim but mighty satisfying topping for a quick sandwich, enjoyed as a crispy slivers of pan-seared fillet served alongside some reheated quinoa, or charred on a cast-iron grill pan and rolled into a no-fuss wrap. We have more fun ideas for you in our blog post dedicated to Captain’s Cuts.
