this depends on a few things. if you exercise first thing in the morning or late in the afternoon you could quickly follow up with a healthy breakfast or dinner. if your workout is during non-meal time it's best to have something to replenish your muscle carbohydrate stores (called glycogen) with a little bit of protein for muscle repair and synthesis. research shows that eating foods with a combination of carbohydrates and protein is best (4:1 ratio) for recovery. here are some examples: whole wheat toast with peanut butter fruit with nuts and seeds (trail mix) apple with nut butter fruit smoothie with added protein yogurt topped with nuts chocolate milk (research has shown this to be a great recovery drink) granola/protein bar with the right combination of carb and protein for more on what to eat before during and after exercise see this webmd article.
if i am feeling really hungry after exercising what is the best thing to eat after a workout? . and i am a guy not sure if that matters.