by Mike Geary, Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer
I'm sure you've heard before that your post-workout meal is actually your most important meal of the day (aside from breakfast).
I'd have to agree with that for the
most part because refueling your body with the right combination of
nutrients is SOOOOO vastly important to repairing your muscles from the
breakdown of a workout, and keeping your metabolism sky high.
From the research about post-workout meals:
"A recent 12-week study says that
those who failed to consume a post workout meal immediately after their
workouts suffered a lower metabolism, loss of fat free mass, and had
clear indications of muscle loss - while their counterparts (those who
consumed a post workout recovery meal) significantly lost more fat,
increased lean muscle, improved their metabolism, and increased dynamic
strength."
I've noticed that many people are
confused as to what actually makes a good post-workout meal. A couple
common questions about post workout meals:
1. Aren't post-workout meals just important for building muscle? Do they matter at all if my goal is fat loss?
2. Is it best to use one of the
fancy post-workout drinks or shakes that you see in the magazines or is a
whole food meal better? What's the best combination of carbs to protein
to fat in a good post workout meal?
3. How quickly after a workout is best to consume my post workout meal?
Answers:
1. Post-workout meals are important for BOTH muscle building and losing fat.
Always remember that one of the
most important aspects of long term fat loss and maintaining a lean body
for life is raising your overall metabolic rate by building and
maintaining adequate lean muscle mass throughout your body.
By consuming a proper post workout
meal after every workout, you assist your body in repairing and building
lean muscle throughout your body. The more lean muscle you have, the
higher your metabolic rate... hence, you lose fat easier, and it is MUCH easier to stay lean long term.
2. Whole foods or supplement
shakes? This can be done either way, but I'm going to show you some
guidelines why some post-workout shakes are better than others and some
whole foods are better than others. Either way, you can make it work.
First, keep in mind that your goal
throughout the majority of each day is eating small whole food meals
frequently that digest slowly with high fiber and a controlled glycemic
response (blood sugar). These normal daily meals should also contain
healthy fats and slowly digested proteins to keep a steady supply of
amino acids.
Well, when it comes to post-workout meals, you can almost use the exact opposite
strategy of your normal meals. With post-workout meals, you actually
want a faster digesting carbohydrate source to elicit an insulin
response, which surges nutrients and glycogen back into your muscles for
repair.
So while I always preach high fiber
for most of your meals, with post-workout, you actually want low fiber,
high GI carbs, and quickly digesting proteins as well for muscle
repair.
Another aspect to keep in mind...
while I always preach healthy fats at most of your meals... with the
post workout meal, you actually want almost all carbs and protein, and
very little fat if any. Fat just slows the absorption and glycemic
response which is not what you want with the post-workout meal.
What about ratios of carbs and protein?
I've reviewed dozens and dozens of
studies on this subject and it always seems to come back to a ratio of
approximately 2 to 1 carbs to protein (up to possibly 4:1 ratio of carbs
to protein). This seems to be the optimal combination to maximize
muscle repair to boost that metabolism for long term fat loss.
I usually make my post-workout
shakes using a frozen banana, whey protein, water, and some real maple
syrup and aim for about a 2:1 ratio of carbs to protein.
3. How quickly should you eat (or drink) your post-workout meal?
As soon as you can after your workout (the sooner the better)!
Studies show that the sooner you
consume your post workout meal following your intense workout, the
better your muscle recovery will be, and a higher percentage of the
carbs ingested will be used for muscle glycogen replenishment instead of
other uses.
The first thing I do when I get
back from the gym is make my post workout shake, and this is about 10
min after finishing my workout.
Alright, I'll be back soon with more Lean-Body Secrets. Til then...
Don't be lazy... Be lean!
Mike Geary
Certified Nutrition Specialist
Certified Personal Trainer
Founder - TruthAboutAbs.com
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