This is what my healthy post-workout meals look like to maximize gains

Right at the beginning of my after-40 natural fitness journey, I prioritized a healthy diet with whole foods, mostly homemade. From October 2023 when I started lifting weights again, after a 17-year hiatus, until June 2024 when the weather got too hot, I would have a homemade post-workout in my car, right after exiting the gym. The meals were usually prepared the day before or in the morning of that day and were made with a good source of complex carbs like rice, baked potato, or baked sweet potato, and sometimes pasta, a good source of protein like grilled or stewed chicken breast (most of the time) and some veggies. This helped my muscles to recover better and with a little body recomposition to lose some of the extra fat I'd had back then.

Sometimes, food is not enough and some supplementation is needed

Now I've reached a healthy body fat percentage (around 18-20%) and as I aim to build more muscle, I can't cut more calories but rather eat around 100-200 calories over the maintenance needs. If my calculations are right, this will help me build muscle and have more visible abs in a reasonable amount of time. To reach my fitness goal, and after consulting with a dietician, I've concluded that I will have a good protein shake mixed with healthy fast absorbing carbs (fruits, raw honey) right after finishing my workout, and my healthy homemade post-workout meal two hours later. This should optimize my muscle recovery and boost my gains because cabs, protein, and other nutrients from the protein drink are absorbed faster than digesting a regular meal.

These are a few examples of my healthy post-workout meals

The macro counting in these meals is split into 40% calories from protein, 40% carbs, and less than 20% from fat. Most meals you see in these images have about the same ratio. Usually with even less fat, anywhere from 5% to 10%.

Here is a post-workout home-cooked meal example: rice, chicken leg roasted meat only, and zucchini, providing about 61 grams of carbs, 61 grams of protein, and 12 grams of fat.