Post-workout Healthy Fitness Sandwich For Runners

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Looking for the perfect healthy fitness sandwich to eat after a run? Try this one! It’s got to be one of the best healthy sandwiches we have ever come up with, and, what’s more, it’s optimised to refuel your body after exercise!

After a good run or heavy workout your body typically needs many things to refuel. Some of the most important are the following:

Carbs – for replacing glycogen stores
Proteins – to aid muscle repair and growth
Electrolytes – including sodium, chloride, potassium and magnesium
Healthy Fats – used in so many essential body and brain functions

The sandwich fillings I use to make my runner’s sandwich contain all those things in balanced quantities, so you can be sure that this is going to provide you with the fuel you need!

What’s more, it comes in a delicious Mediterranean-inspired package, with tangy olives, salty capers and rich sun dried tomatoes, all toasted in flavorful, healthy olive oil. You know what, I might go on a run right now, just so I can eat one of these when I’m done!

Ingredients

A quick glance through the ingredients in this healthy fitness sandwich will show you how great it is for post workout munchies!

Whole wheat bread
Whole grain bread will provide you with plenty of carbs. It is best to use brown bread as it also contains the most dietary fiber and nutrients. Rye bread or dark sourdough bread are good options.

Mozzarella or other cheese
Cheese contains protein, fat and even electrolytes! Yes – while we commonly think of electrolytes as coming from liquids, you can also get them in your food. Cottage cheese is a good option instead of mozzarella, because it has a good fat to protein ratio.

Sun-dried tomatoes
Sun dried tomatoes are a great way to add a zing of flavor, while also providing you with lycopene, a powerful antioxidant.

Olives
Olives add to the Mediterranean vibe of this sandwich. They also contain plenty of healthy fats and antioxidants.

Basil
Up the fragrant flavor of your sandwich and get those taste buds tingling with some leaves of fresh basil. Dried works too!

How many calories are in this healthy sandwich?

This vegetarian fitness sandwich contains 399 calories per serving, and it contains 19g protein per serving.

Here’s a quick overview of 1 serving:

kcal 399kcal

Carbs 30g

Fat 23g

Protein 19g

At under 365 calories, it’s a great dish when you’re counting the calories, and it provides an awesome 19.5g of protein!

Health benefits

This sandwich provides many health benefits. For starters, it contains 42% of an average RDA of dietary fiber – so you can be sure it will keep you full for a long time, and help improve the health of your digestive system.

Secondly, it provides a solid portion of your daily protein requirements, at 19.5g per serving. Protein is super important for the healthy functioning of your body, and particularly for maintaining and/or building muscle.

It also contains notable amounts of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Iron and Calcium.

How to make the perfect healthy fitness sandwich

• Chop: Roughly chop up the fillings and toss in a bowl in herbs salt and pepper.
• Toast: If you’re using soft bread, pop it in the toaster for a minute just to harden the outside. If you’re using hard bread, this step is optional.
• Stuff: Pile the filling on 2 slices of bread, top with the other 2 slices.
• Fry: With or without olive oil, heat a pan and fry the sandwich lightly in it for a few minutes. Press it down with a spatula occasionally. Flip so both sides become crispy and browned, with melty insides.
• Serve: Your sandwich is ready! Serve as lunch or a very light dinner.

FAQs

Got questions about how to make healthy sandwich recipes like this one? I’ve got you covered on topics from weight loss to meal prep.

Can I make this sandwich ahead?

You can make a big batch of filling ahead of time, but I wouldn’t recommend assembling the sandwich too far in advance, as the bread can get soggy ( though by all means, make it up in the morning and take it in your lunch box!).

What to serve with this sandwich?

A side salad of leafy greens is a great option to serve with this sandwich. Keep to simple ingredients: some spinach, lettuce and rocket, maybe a bit of red onion with an easy vinaigrette dressing.

What kind of sandwich is good after a workout?

A good post-workout sandwich includes a balance of protein, healthy fats and whole grain carbohydrates. If it has all these things, it is guaranteed to refuel your body after exercise!

What sandwiches are good for weight loss?

Sandwiches that are high in fibre, high in protein and with a focus on healthy unsaturated fats are the best sandwiches for weight loss. This combination of macros mean they will keep you full for the longest time, while providing your body with everything you need, so you are making the most of your calorie intake.

Are sandwiches good for muscle building?

Yes! If you load them with muscle-building protein, such as from cheese, tofu and/or eggs, they can definitely support muscle growth. Check out this high protein meal plan for more tips of how to eat to build muscle.

Variations and alternatives

If you need to eat gluten-free, just switch the bread out for your favorite gluten-free bread. To make this vegan, why not try smoked tofu, or your favorite vegan sausages instead of cheese? Or you could even pop some hummus in there.

If you are looking for possible ingredient swaps, you can really play around with this one. Swap mozzarella for your favorite cheese, add spinach or a handful of rocket. Why not a dash of chili oil or hot sauce for an extra kick? It’s also really yummy to spread pesto or tapenade on your bread.

More recipes

After more healthy sandwich recipes? Try my protein packed chickpea salad sandwich or my famous vegetarian banh mi! And if you’re still after more inspo, why not get a load of my 37 favorite vegetarian sandwiches ever – from this blog and beyond!

I hope you enjoyed trying this delicious healthy fitness sandwich! Let me know what you thought of it in the comments