When you work out hard, your body works even harder. Whether you’re doing intense exercises at the gym, playing sports or training for a big event, a lot of energy and nutrients are used up in the process. After all that effort, it’s so important to give your body what it needs to recover. That means choosing the right foods to eat on recovery day, so you can replenish what was lost during those workouts or intense activities. Why recovery matters after a workout (Karsten Winegeart/Unsplash) While in engaging in vigorous activity, whether it’s a workout or playing basketball, your muscles can get tiny tears from all the movement and effort. This is actually normal since it’s how the muscles build tolerance and grow stronger. But to heal and grow, they need help. This comes in the form of protein to rebuild, carbohydrates to restore energy and fluids to replace what was lost from sweating. Here are some of the most essential nutrients for recovery: Protein : Helps rebuild and repair...