Stop Treasuring the Post Workout Window
Posted on 31 March 2009
I used to be the typical gym junkie. As soon as a workout was over I’d head off to my gym bag and whip out a post workout shake of either whey protein, or whey and carbs mixed if I was trying to gain muscle. Unfortnatly this wasn’t getting me very far. Coupled with the high carbs and eating 5-6 times per day my body developed a soft puffy look plus I was tired and obsessed with the next meal.
On top of this I would see people in the gym stroll out having chats with freinds after a workout probably not eating for at least an hour after they had done. To add insult to injury a lot of these guys were in lean and athletic shape (which I put down to superior genetics) little did I know there was another way….
Hunger
When was the last time you experienced severe hunger straight after a workout? I bet it wasn’t anytime recently. This is because your body has already started breaking down what its got to repair your muscles (this involves food you have eaten in the last 24 hours and some of your stored muscle/fat) so when you have done working out your body is already hard at work in a recovery process. It makes sense; If we needed to eat right after working out we would experience at least some sort of hunger pang. If you want to hear more about this listen to Dr McGuff on this podcast……….
Growth Hormone
When you workout your body releases HGH which aids the recovery process and spares lean tissue. Making sure your body uses its amino acid reserves plus fat and stored carbs for fuel during the workout. HGH is key to building a bigger and stronger body so let it flow. You can maximise the benefits by not eating for about 45-90 minutes after a workout, making it a nice time to take a walk or I like to sit down and have a short meditation/relaxation session after my workouts. Another good indicator is to wait until hunger pangs start kicking in…..
Post Workout Drinks
One things for sure and its that regular post workout drinks on the market which are usually a blend of fast acting protein and sugar are not only detrimental to your health (destroying insulin sensitivity) but they are expensive. If you are going to start using post workout shakes and you feel them neccesary (i.e you are an athlete and train long hours throughout the day) then simply plump for Chocolate Milk its cheap and just as effective to replenish muscle glycogen and provide amino acids to the muscle tissue.
- Ditch the post workout drinks
- Sugary drinks destroy your insulin sensitivity
- Eat a solid meal after a workout
- Up your anti-oxidants with the recovery meal (green tea, Vit C)
- Your body will recover from a workout for 24-48 hours after so no need to rush post workout nutrition
- Make the most of the HGH surge from your intense workouts
You will find that by following this advice you will not only save yourself a boat load of cash, but your body composition will improve regardless of if you are aiming to gain muscle or lose fat. Besides real foods are always best!
Comment by Son of Grok
31 March 2009
Rusty just posted on this too and I have seen info from Brad Pilon and others on HGH release and not utilizing post workout nutrition.
I must be an exception to the norm or something… when I get done with 30 mins of real intense workout, I tend to be a little lightheaded and famished. Eating post workout tends to resolve this for me. I dont do the proverbial “shake” but I eat some egg salad or a real food protien source.
The SoG
Comment by Alfred
31 March 2009
Even with shakes with very few cards like 3-4 grams of carbs?
@ Alfred: If you want to optimize insulin sensitivity and HGH output then drop all the post workout shakes regardless of carb content. Save your money and try a proper meal 45 minutes after finishing the weights. I am sure you will find your results will improve.
Comment by Kara
31 March 2009
Sorry but I just can’t agree that this is true across the board. When I complete my workouts, especially on weight lifting days, I’m FAMISHED. I could literally come home and gnaw my arm off if I didn’t eat something. And mind you that’s with a snack about an hour before my workout as well.
I also found – through trial and error over the course of losing 100 lbs and keeping it off – that if I don’t eat after a workout, I’ll wind up eating more later, and usually not as much good protein as I should.
For me, even just a scoop of protein powder shaken in water makes a HUGE difference to my progress – both in gaining muscle and in losing/maintaining my weight. Not to mention it keeps me from eating everything in sight a couple hours after I work out.
@ Kara: Each to their own. If you find eating directly after/before a workout helps your progress go for it. One thing I know is that most people are fine to wait at least 30 minutes after a workout before eating. One of the other benefits is it allows the body and mind to calm down before starting to eat. I like to use the time immediately after a workout to hydrate or if I have done some intense cardio I will go for some coconut water or juicy fruit….
Comment by TrailGrrl
31 March 2009
I was working out with a trainer and doing that whole protein shake/6 meals thing and I got fatter and fatter when I went past my 40th birthday. Now that I eat whole foods an paleo with a lot of fat (and I don’t mean just a bit of avocado here and some nut butter there… I mean the real deal) I have to say that I am 2 sizes smaller and have new leaness to my middle that I am getting a litte vain about (hey after having a wheat Buddha belly I figure this is well-deserved). Following the standard gym and athlete diets didn’t work. Now my energy is great and I can tell how much better I feel after carne asada with avocado slices or a big ribeye.
Threw out all those powders and the gels from the triathlon days (did I ever really LIKE those?????).
IF has been a key component too. On days when I don’t eat until like 2:00 I feel great.
TrailGrrl
Comment by Yash
1 April 2009
Exercise really is a great way to fight those hunger pangs. When I train on an empty stomach I feel a little hungry beforehand, but my workout makes the hunger go away for another few hours… maybe i should just replace all of my meals with tabatas or sometihng…
obviously kidding.
Comment by Gubernatrix - all-round strength training
2 April 2009
I agree with Yash, exercise is a great way to make hunger go away. So is sleep. I have never been ‘into’ post workout nutrition (I usually just go home and have dinner) but I recently swopped water during my workout with an isotonic drink and it really helped my performance. This applies not just at the gym where I lift but when I am doing a longer session, such as 3-4 hours of rock climbing.
I should probably say however that I train mainly for performance not for aesthetics. I might be tempted to explore not eating immediately after training but ultimately I need to be guided by my recovery needs.
Interesting topic though!
Comment by Trish (girlatgym)
2 April 2009
I am trying to focus more on eating when I am really, actually hungry. I don’t worry about whether I just worked out or not. If my tummy wants food – that’s when it gets it. It works out much better for me.
Comment by Curtis Penner
4 April 2009
It looks like what you eat and when you eat it after your workout is very much a personal decision.
Like Kara, I often need something right after my weight training session. However, I rarely feel the need to eat right after a session of high-intensity cardio.
Over the years, I have placed less importance on eating fast-acting carbs with protein. Now, what I eat is determined by what time of day it is. Rarely do I eat before dinner, so I usually have a bowl of raisin bran cereal and mix some protein in water.
Comment by SimpleMan
5 April 2009
I workout in the morning. I get to the gym about an hour after getting up. I usually drink some high quality whey protien before leaving the house. When I get back from the gym I’ll drink another glass of whey protien and them make my breakfast which is usually scrambled eggs with fresh basil, baby spinach, onions, red and green bell peppers, ghee, chipotle season, and sea salt. I’ll top it with an avacodo and some fresh salsa. So do you think I could toss the pre and post whey?
@ SimpleMan: I would see how it works for you. I know Keith at TTP does well with regular fasted workouts. Give a few mornings a try without the Whey and see how you do/feel and use that as a reference guide….
Comment by Just Right Fitness
8 April 2009
Just found your site- really great!
Comment by Skyler Tanner
18 April 2009
The trouble with this notion is two-fold:
1. GH release isn’t blunted by a post-workout insulin spike.
2. Injecting GH doesn’t do squat for trained athletes or the elderly, so I’m not going to center my training on hope that 15 minutes of GH boost is going to do anything for my physique. It’s not going to hurt, but it’s not panacea.
Best,
Skyler
Comment by Marc
7 July 2010
To those who claim that after their workout they are FAMISHED, I have one question :
What are the average duration of your workout ?
Pretty sure that’s more than the 45 – 60 minutes advised
I do short but intense workout and wait 1 hour before eating. That gives me good result. Also I always do my workout on a empty stomach…