This is, by far, the most important time of the day for anyone who is trying to build a better body. What you do during the two to four hours following a workout can determine what kind of gains you make in your physique and if you will become stronger or not.
1.) Some experts recommend consuming 50 percent of your total daily calories within two to four hours after a hard workout. It may sound odd, but the greatest nutrient uptake occurs after a hard weight-training workout. It makes sense—you’ve depleted nutrients and now the body is ready to take them back.
2.) Insulin sensitivity is greatest after a workout. Insulin helps transport nutrients like glucose, amino acids and even creatine into muscle cells. Taking insulin-maximizing compounds, like alpha lipoic acid and chromium, can really help.
3.) New research shows that combining protein with carbohydrates right after a workout can further enhance glycogen synthesis even more than with just carbohydrates alone. In fact, consuming a whey protein and carbohydrate rich drink within 30 minutes per workout can maximize insulin levels for several hours following weight training.
Then, you should eat a protein and carbohydrate rich meal within an hour or hour and a half of the post-workout protein shake to enhance the recovery and growth phase.
The key post-workout goal is to increase muscle anabolism (increasing protein synthesis, while decreasing or minimizing muscle breakdown). Lowering Cortisol, replenishing glycogen stores, providing the optimum 3:1 carbohydrates-to-protein ratio for maximum glycogen replenishment and increasing cell volume to create a greater anabolic environment in the cell are all very important after a workout.
4.) Staying properly hydrated with water at this time is important to help enhance cell volume and transport nutrients in the body.
5.) Taking a post-workout recovery drink is extremely essential to proper workout recovery and muscle building.
On a side note, keep in mind:
Never take a supplement in place of food. Food contains far more nutrients than any supplement ever could. As the name suggests, supplements should “supplement” food, not replace it.
For example, if you find you are not getting adequate amounts of protein through your diet, then a protein supplement makes sense. Don’t, however, give a chicken breast a pass for a protein supplement.
1.) Some experts recommend consuming 50 percent of your total daily calories within two to four hours after a hard workout. It may sound odd, but the greatest nutrient uptake occurs after a hard weight-training workout. It makes sense—you’ve depleted nutrients and now the body is ready to take them back.
2.) Insulin sensitivity is greatest after a workout. Insulin helps transport nutrients like glucose, amino acids and even creatine into muscle cells. Taking insulin-maximizing compounds, like alpha lipoic acid and chromium, can really help.
3.) New research shows that combining protein with carbohydrates right after a workout can further enhance glycogen synthesis even more than with just carbohydrates alone. In fact, consuming a whey protein and carbohydrate rich drink within 30 minutes per workout can maximize insulin levels for several hours following weight training.
Then, you should eat a protein and carbohydrate rich meal within an hour or hour and a half of the post-workout protein shake to enhance the recovery and growth phase.
The key post-workout goal is to increase muscle anabolism (increasing protein synthesis, while decreasing or minimizing muscle breakdown). Lowering Cortisol, replenishing glycogen stores, providing the optimum 3:1 carbohydrates-to-protein ratio for maximum glycogen replenishment and increasing cell volume to create a greater anabolic environment in the cell are all very important after a workout.
4.) Staying properly hydrated with water at this time is important to help enhance cell volume and transport nutrients in the body.
5.) Taking a post-workout recovery drink is extremely essential to proper workout recovery and muscle building.
On a side note, keep in mind:
Never take a supplement in place of food. Food contains far more nutrients than any supplement ever could. As the name suggests, supplements should “supplement” food, not replace it.
For example, if you find you are not getting adequate amounts of protein through your diet, then a protein supplement makes sense. Don’t, however, give a chicken breast a pass for a protein supplement.
