Post Workout Nutrition is undoubtedly one of the most important concepts of your nutritional program. After you finish your workout, you have to plan your shake and meal correctly if you want to maximize muscle growth. A large number of veteran lifters as well as many newbies underestimate the importance of post workout nutrition. The right approach can significantly add to the effectiveness of your workouts. Let’s find out how!
After a Workout, Your Body Is Affected By 3 Major Factors
Factor # 1 – Your Glycogen Stores Are Low
Glycogen is the carbohydrate fuel that propels you through your workouts through the creation of ATP. To replenish glycogen used during your workout, choose high glycemic carbs. Ideally, you can mix in fruit or other simple carbs with your protein powder for a post-workout shake. For this purpose, I suggest Hi-Tech Precision Protein.
Lately, some lifters have questioned if post workout nutrition – shake or meal – matters. After all, they argue, as long as you get some macronutrients eventually, why does it matter? Ultimately, if you want to wait 2 or 3 hours after training before drinking a shake or eating a meal, that’s up to you.
But unless you had a large meal close to your training session, you might find you’re waiting too long to get key nutrients back in your system. I know for me, when I get done training, I’m hungry and ready to get some nutrients. Therefore, the latest “research” notwithstanding, if you’re hungry and feel like you could use some calories, grab that shake!
Factor # 2 – Protein Breakdown Is Amplified
Muscle protein status is negative after a workout. This means that more protein is being broken down than is being synthesized. This leads to a loss of muscle protein. This is one more reason to drink a shake immediately after training as a part of your post workout nutrition program.
Muscle Protein Balance Is Negative
Protein balance is regulated by the balance between protein synthesis and protein breakdown. Here’s how it looks:
Muscle Protein Balance = Protein Synthesis – Protein Breakdown
During your workout, your muscles use metabolic fuels at an accelerated pace. In order for your body to repair damaged muscle tissue and replenish fuel reserves, you should consume protein and carbs right after your workout. If, for some re
Recap – 3 Reasons You Should Drink A Post-Workout Shake Immediately After Your Workout
- Replenish Glycogen Stores
- Reduce The Muscle Protein Breakdown That Comes About With Exercise, Particularly High-Intensity Bodybuilding Training.
- Restore Positive Muscle Protein Balance
Protein
As noted, consuming protein right as part of your post workout nutrition program stops muscle protein breakdown and restores protein balance to a positive (anabolic) state. You have to understand that training is catabolic. Therefore, just like any other time of the day, the goal should be to get back into an anabolic environment as quickly as you can.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are critical to your overall performance in the gym. Also as noted, they are essential to glycogen replenishment. They are the primary energy source of your body. As you may know, carbs are broken down into simple and complex carbohydrates. I advocate consuming 50% of your entire day’s carbohydrates during the hours before and after your workout. This means all of your simple carbs with the rest coming from complex carbs.
The Role Of Insulin
Insulin, one of the body’s anabolic hormones, has an important function in both carbohydrate and amino acid transport across muscle cell membranes. It is also an important signaling molecule that stimulates protein synthesis. (1) Therefore, insulin plays a major role in post-workout protein balance restoration. The muscle cells are extremely receptive to insulin following training. That’s a primary reason to make sure you get simple carbs right after your workout.
Post Workout Nutrition – The Post Workout Meal
Approximately two hours after your post-workout shake, you should eat a balanced meal. The exact time is mostly a matter of feeling that your shake is digested. Once you feel it is, sit down to a high protein, high carb meal. This should be the last time in the day that you consume simple carbs.
Good meal ideas include chicken, sweet potatoes, and veggies, or lean beef, yams, and veggies. Of course, the goal is to have a lean protein, a moderate to high glycemic carbohydrate and a low glycemic carb.
Summary
For optimal progress, you must think of the post workout nutrition timeframe as a critical piece of the recovery puzzle. It goes without saying that post workout is a critical time for you to help your body refill its tank.
Recovery is a process that covers several days. Once you’ve had your shake and meal, you should think about rest, and depending on the time of day, quality sleep. I work out early, so I make sure I take a nap a few hours after my workout. For complete post workout success, follow the tips I presented here, and get ready to make some serious progress!
References:
- De Meyts P. The Insulin Receptor and Its Signal Transduction Network. [Updated 2016 Apr 27]. In: Feingold KR, Ahmed SF, Anawalt B, et al., editors. Endotext [Internet]. South Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc.; 2000-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK378978/