If you’ve ever done a challenging workout or are new to exercise, you’ve probably experienced the Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (or DOMS) that often accompanies the muscle repair and building process.

Although not everyone experiences DOMS after every workout, for many of us it can be a real pain in the rear! Figuratively and literally!

As I’ve discussed in my previous post on soreness, our bodies experience an inflammation response after challenging workouts, similar to how our bodies respond to injury or illness. The resulting swelling and aching can make it difficult to move and function in the two days following your challenging workout.

Some people like the soreness—and they wear it as a badge of honor, a sign that they got a good workout in.

I should point, however, out that DOMS is not always a good indicator of an effective workout. There are many different styles of training, and different types of training have different goals. Not every training style leads to large amounts of soreness. The best indicators of an effective workout routine are the things that show up over long periods of time—such as improved performance from one workout to the next, the ability to add more resistance or more repetitions every few workout sessions, increased endurance, or a change in body composition as you build more muscle and burn more fat.

If you do experience DOMS, know that it is a normal part of the muscle repair and building process. Some soreness is ok, but I’d argue that for most people it shouldn’t be debilitating. Extreme soreness could be a sign that you pushed it too hard and overreached in your previous workout. If you wake up in the middle of the night with your muscles throbbing, find yourself unable to lift your arms or walk, it may be a sign that you overreached in your previous workout. You’ll probably want to take it easy and not push yourself too hard in the next one, and maybe take an extra rest day or just work on mobility.

The food you eat and the beverages you drink also have an effect on the inflammation you experience post-workout.

If you eat a lot of processed, packaged food you’re likely to experience worse post-workout symptoms due to an increased level of inflammation brought on by the compounds in those foods.

Junk food, refined carbohydrates, sugary beverages, fried foods (especially foods made with hydrogenated oils), processed meats, and food high in trans fats can all make your inflammation worse after working out.

There are some foods, however, that can actually reduce your inflammation while also providing a host of other health benefits. You’ll want to keep these foods in heavy rotation in your diet as you train:

Vegetables & Fruits

Fresh vegetables and fruits are truly the stars of any healthy diet. However some vegetables and fruits are especially good at combating inflammation. Among these are:

• Broccoli

• Avocado

• Peppers

• Mushrooms

• Tomatoes

• Berries

• Cherries

• Grapes

All of these foods are great as fresh snacks following a workout and also go great in a variety of dishes. Keep them well stocked in your refrigerator and eat them often to combat DOMS from training (read more).

Fatty Fish

Fill the protein portion of your post-workout meal with fatty fish such as salmon, anchovies, mackerel, sardines, or herring. Numerous studies have shown these fish to reduce inflammation, which also helps combat the development of metabolic syndrome, kidney disease, heart disease, and diabetes (read more).

Mediterranean Diet

Like I noted above, you’ll want to stay away from most fried foods—especially those that are made with partially hydrogenated oils. Many foods made with olive oil however, such as many foods from the Mediterranean diet, are actually very healthy and can also help combat inflammation. One compound in olive oil called oleocanthal has even been compared in effects to the over the counter anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen (read more).

Spices (Indian or Asian Food)

Food seasoned with pepper and spices like turmeric and ginger not only taste great, but they also further help to reduce inflammation in the body. Curcumin (a compound in turmeric) and gingerol (the main active compound in ginger) are both powerful anti-inflammatory antioxidants. Asian and Indian cuisine is an excellent choice for the days following a challenging workout (read more about peppers, curcumin, and gingerol).

Green Tea

Green tea is also an excellent beverage of choice to reduce soreness and inflammation. It’s loaded with antioxidants, most notably Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG)—which fights inflammation and is also one of the most powerful naturally occurring compounds for fighting cancer (read more).

Chocolate or Cacao

If you’re saving room for dessert, make it a bite of dark chocolate (at least 70% cacao) or cocoa. Dark chocolate is packed with anti-inflammatory compounds and other nutrients such as soluble fiber and minerals (like iron, magnesium, copper, manganeese, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, and selenium). Make sure to pick a low-sugar variety of chocolate—since refined sugar can work against the inflammation-fighting effects of the chocolate (read more).

Learn More

Healthline.com has a number of great articles on the health benefits of each of the foods above, and I strongly recommend giving their articles on foods that reduce inflammation and antioxidants a read through.

About the Author

Jayd Harrison is a personal trainer and content creator. She helps people to build muscle, burn fat, and clean up their diets with her online coaching programs and social media content. Check out some of Jayd’s coaching videos on Youtube, or join Jayd live on Twitch and follow on social media.