Post Workout Nutrition and its Role on Muscle Growth and Recovery
Post Workout Nutrition and its Role on Muscle Growth and Recovery
Post Workout Nutrition and its Role on Muscle Growth and Recovery We often spend so much of our time focusing on what meals and supplements we are going to ingest before our workout that we tend to forget to focus on what we are going to do after a workout. You can eat the perfect pre-workout meal, take the best pre-workout supplement, and destroy it at the gym and you will still be missing that one very important key to growth and recovery, the post-workout meal.
Many people, including myself, routinely drink a protein shake after a workout. However, this shake is not the only part of the post-workout recovery regimen that should be utilized. A very important portion of the recovery and growth is derived from the meal that you ingest roughly 45-60 minutes after your workout. At this point, your body is ready to absorb any and all nutrients that you throw into it. To allow for optimal nutrient uptake into the muscle, you should consume easy-to-digest protein (poultry or fish) and simple carbs (white rice or fruits) while keeping the fats low (fats will slow down the digestion of protein post-workout) in your post-workout meal.
There are many benefits to ingesting proper nutrition and utilizing the “anabolic window” after a workout. A few examples are: improved fat loss, increased muscle growth, reduced muscle soreness, increased recovery rate, enhanced immune system function, improved bone density, increased strength, enhanced athletic performance, and much more. As you can see, eating a proper post-workout meal is extremely beneficial.
A sample post workout protocol:
Immediately Post-Workout: 20-40g whey protein shake and 20-30g simple carbs (fruit, honey, Vitargo, Intra-MD, etc.)
45-60 Minutes Post-Workout: 6-8oz. Chicken breast (45-60g protein) and 30-40g simple carbs (white rice, fruit, Vitargo, Intra-MD)
-Pete
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