Tired, Sore, and Not Recovering? You’re Probably Missing This…
You pushed hard. You left it all out there. You hit your protein intake like clockwork.
Yet, the next morning? Your legs still feel like lead.
Your energy is flatlining by midday.
Your next session feels like a grind instead of progress.
Sound familiar?
Here’s the thing—everyone hypes protein as the key to recovery. And yeah, protein is important. No debate there.
But if you’re constantly battling fatigue, slow recovery, poor sleep, and inconsistent energy levels, there’s a good chance you’re missing one essential ingredient:
Carbohydrates.
Most athletes underfuel their recovery without realising it. And the ones who train hard while skimping on carbs? They’re the ones who stay stuck in depletion mode—always one step behind their best.
Let’s fix that.
The Carbohydrate Misconception (And Why You Might Be Stuck)
For years, carbs have been unfairly demonised—especially in the fitness world.
🔹 “Carbs make you gain weight.”
🔹 “You only need protein to recover.”
🔹 “I don’t want to eat sugar after training.”
If you’ve been avoiding post-workout carbs, thinking they’re unnecessary (or even harmful), here’s the truth:
🚫 Not eating carbs after training doesn’t help you stay lean—it keeps you stuck in fatigue mode.
🚫 Skipping carbs doesn’t make you “fitter”—it makes recovery slower and training feel harder than it needs to.
🚫 Protein alone won’t replenish your energy stores—it needs carbs to do the full job.
If you’re serious about training and performance, you need to think beyond muscle repair and focus on full-body recovery—which starts with refuelling the energy you just burned.
Here’s why carbs are the key to better recovery (and why you’ll feel the difference once you start using them properly).
The 4 Biggest Benefits of Post-Workout Carbs
1. Carbs Fuel the Hard Sessions You Want to Smash
Carbs are your body’s fastest, most efficient energy source—they fuel high-intensity training, endurance efforts, and anything that pushes your limits.
If you’re not replenishing them after tough workouts, you’re starting the next session on low power mode.
Think of it like this: Would you try running your phone on 5% battery all day?
No? Then why do that to your body?
2. Carbs Get You Ready for Your Next Workout
Recovery isn’t just about bouncing back—it’s about bouncing forward.
If you train hard multiple times a week, what you do after today’s session determines how you’ll feel tomorrow.
Eating carbs post-workout rebuilds your energy stores so that your next session doesn’t feel like you’re dragging dead weight.
3. Carbs Reduce the Risk of Injury, Illness & Burnout
Training while depleted isn’t a badge of honour—it’s a shortcut to injury and burnout.
When you’re constantly running on empty, your body is under higher stress, recovery slows down, and your risk of illness, injury, and feeling completely drained skyrockets.
Carbs help lower cortisol (stress hormone) levels, replenish energy, and keep you in an anabolic (rebuilding) state rather than a breakdown spiral.
4. Carbs Improve Sleep Quality (Yes, Really)
Struggling to wind down at night? Waking up in the middle of the night for no reason?
That might not be a stress problem—it might be a fuel problem.
Carbs help maintain stable blood sugar levels overnight so your body can focus on deep recovery instead of scrambling to regulate energy levels.
No more tossing and turning, no more waking up exhausted—just genuinely restful recovery.
How to Get It Right (Without Overthinking It)
So, how much should you be eating?
The general guideline: 1.2g of carbs per kg of body weight within the first 4 hours post-exercise.
👉 Example: A 70kg athlete should aim for 85g of carbs in the first hour after training, then continue normal intake.
Best Carb Choices for Recovery:
✅ Fast-absorbing carbs to kickstart replenishment → Fruit, honey, juice, white rice, sports drinks.
✅ Slower-digesting carbs to sustain energy → Sweet potatoes, oats, pasta, wholegrain bread.
Timing Matters:
⏳ Aim to get carbs within 30-60 minutes after training when your body is most receptive.
💡 Pro Tip: Don’t overcomplicate it. A banana and a rice-based meal? Sorted. A fruit smoothie with oats? That works too. Just get the carbs in.
The 7-Day Challenge: Test This & Feel The Difference
Want to see how much better you can train, recover, and sleep?
Here’s the challenge:
✅ For the next 7 days, prioritise post-workout carbs.
✅ Hit your carb target after every session.
✅ Notice how you feel—better energy, faster recovery, stronger workouts?
Then, tell me: What’s the biggest difference you notice?
Tag a mate who always skips carbs after training or hit reply and let me know what changes you feel.
Yours in stronger training and faster recovery,
Daniel Lucchini