It happens to the best of us – we've worked up a sweat after the gruelling exercise routine and then we feel like eating everything we can find within arm's range. Most people do not realise that they do this because the body and mind treats the food as a reward for all the strain it has undergone. In the process of doing this, most people put back all the weight they lost.

Removing the food or exercise quotient altogether from your life and body is not a way to work this problem out. There should be a balance between the food intake as well as the workout. Sometimes, you may not even feel hungry right after the workout but hours later, the cravings surge through your body and you start snacking on everything around you. When your body senses that you're burning fuel from the exercise, it makes sure that you replace it.

Try to make good snack choices before and after your workout. Eat food that is high in protein – it keeps your appetite in check as proteins stimulate hormones that make you feel full. You could try to eat eggs, yogurt, nuts, fish, whole grains to make sure you get your necessary dose of protein.

Ensure you don't make the rookie mistake of confusing your thirst for hunger. Most people feel extremely thirsty after exercising and eat a lot of food to compensate for it. Remember, your body is 70% water and you need to replenish it. This means that you need to keep sipping on water before, during, and after your workout. If the body is dehydrated even by 2%, it will not only compromise your capacity to exercise but also lower your productivity for any other activities for the rest of the day.

Maintaining a diary with a list of all the items you eat will help you better understand how your body is functioning. It is not necessary to keep this if you feel like your body is gaining all the weight you're trying to lose. When you keep a track of what you eat, you begin to realise how much food you are eating and why you are eating. Maintaining this diet log will help you realise if you're eating too much or too little post your workout.   Keeping a track of what you eat sheds light upon what you are eating, how much of it and why. This means that if you don't realise you're doing some serious snacking post your workout, you will now! It's also a great way to appreciate how much exercise is required in order to get rid of those calories by exercising.

Here's something interesting -- eat food that involves a lot of chewing. Chewing slowly and wholly tricks the body into believing that you are eating a lot. This doesn't mean that you eat like a bird! Remember, always ensure that your body is getting the right amount of nutrients. Try the kinds of food that don't contain a lot of calories – apples, celery, or raw carrots. In fact, something as simple as sugar-free chewing gum could also do the trick!

One of the smartest ways to avoid those post workout munchies is to understand how many calories exist in that burger you're eyeing. It will help you understand how much time will take for you to burn those calories.

One of the most important parts of being healthy is not just exercising, it is eating right. So make sure that what you're eating complements your workout routine. It will play a definite role in your overall results whether you are trying to lose weight, lose fat or even build your muscles!  

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