Your muscles may need more time to recover.
Protein is essential for building muscle, maintaining it, and repairing it post-workout. That part's non-negotiable, but the source of your protein is. Animal or plant protein works—the latter just takes a little longer to get the job done. "Knowing that, I recommend vegetarian athletes and vegan athletes in particular get their post-workout protein in liquid form, since liquids are absorbed more quickly into the body than solids," says Bailey. "Make a smoothie with coconut milk, almond milk, hemp milk, rice milk, or soy milk, and add carbohydrates in the form of fresh fruit to replenish your glycogen stores, which your body uses for energy, post-workout.