There is a seemingly endless amount of, well, for lack of a better word, crap, on the internet today about what is or isn’t the best thing to eat after you workout. Some people say it’s best to eat a full-fledged solid meal, some people think it’s best to have chocolate milk (which actually isn’t a bad choice), and some people don’t have anything at all.
The principle of the post workout shake has been around for a long time, and rightly so. After a workout, your body is extremely stressed and basically in a state of disarray. This provides us with a perfect opportunity for enhanced nutrient absorption and accelerated recovery. Naturally, if you’re looking to improve your body, it makes sense to take advantage of this opportunity by giving it the nutrients it desires.
Whey Protein
Your body needs two things after a workout; protein and carbohydrates.
Protein
The conventional school of thought says that you should consume protein and carbohydrates as soon as you can after a workout. However, new research has shown that the highest amount of nutrient absorption (a 30% increase, to be precise) occurs 1 hour after your workout.
Since you want to get your protein in as fast as possible at the one hour mark, you’ll want to consume your protein at this time. More specifically, whey protein. It’s the type of protein that is absorbed fastest by the body (much faster than casein). Whey protein comes in powdered form, and you add water, juice, or milk to it to create a drink. Drinking protein, instead of eating it, allows your body to absorb the protein much faster.
Carbohydrates
Equally important as protein, carbohydrates are an absolute must in your post workout meal. Carbs are used by your body to restore muscle glycogen that was used during your workout. If these carbs aren’t provided in your post workout meal, your body will actually be forced to turn to your muscle tissue for this source of energy (in other words, it’ll break down your muscle). This is an outcome you want to avoid, after all, you didn’t go to the gym to lose muscle. Carbohydrates also have a nice little trick up their sleeve, and that is to actually increase the absorption of protein by your muscle.
Dextrose
Just like protein, carbs should be provided to the body 1 hour after your workout, and they should be able to be absorbed quickly by the body. Again, the answer here is to consume your carbs in drinkable form. A sugar named Dextrose fits the bill perfectly, and this should be added to your protein drink. You can get dextrose from all major grocery stores.
The Only Exception
Normally, you should avoid eating sugar like this, but workouts prime your body to be able to handle this sugar for your benefit. Post-workout meals are the only exception to my recommendation of staying away from excess sugar.
How much protein and carbs should I have?
Your post workout shake should have between 0.15-0.25 grams of whey protein per pound of bodyweight. It should also contain between 0.25-0.4 grams of dextrose per pound of body weight. Add these to water and you’ve got yourself an after-workout shake.
Post Workout Shake
The combination is simple and to the point, and most importantly, it’ll get the job done. Happy drinking!
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Action requires knowledge, and now I can act!
The only part of this article I agreed with is waiting one hour after your workout. People have been brainwashed into thinking they need to down a protein shake immediately. The truth is that you can get away with waiting til after you get home from the gym and shower. Just don’t wait more than an hour. Where I disagree is in telling people to drink a protein shake. I’m sure the supplement industry loves you for telling people to buy their product. You don’t need it. Stick with real food. My post-workout meal consists of lean protein like fish, steak, or chicken, a starchy carb such as a baked sweet potato, and some fibrous carbs like steamed broccoli. I’ve been eating like this for years and never had an issue gaining or maintaining muscle mass. Plus it made my workouts more enjoyable knowing that they’d be followed by a delicious and filling meal, not some protein shake.
Ideally, your way of doing it is a good way to go. However, most people don’t have the time or energy to whip up a meal like that right after their gym session. This is where my recommendation of a quick and easy protein shake comes into play. I don’t work for a supplement company, nor do I profit in any way from recommending them. Do you need a protein shake? No. Is it convenient and will it help you? Absolutely.
I’d like to slim down and get rid of all the bulky leg muscles that I have. One hour after my daily run, should I be just taking in protein and not carbs if I don’t want to gain muscle? I’d actually like less muscle mass and lose fat. I know you’re not supporting any specific brands, but do you have any recommendations? I’m new to the whole fitness scene. Thanks!
Jen,
As far as a workout is concerned, I link to something called Visual Impact for Women at the top of my site. It’s a great workout if you’re looking for something give you a slim, toned, feminine look (as opposed to a built, muscular look).
After your run, have yourself some protein, a little bit of carbs after won’t hurt either, but it’s really up to you. It’s more about the total number of calories you eat per day than what foods you choose to eat. Take a look at this article: http://www.laststopfatloss.com/how-many-calories-should-i-eat
Master the concepts in that post, get yourself a good workout program, and you’re set. Please let me know if you have any questions along the way.
Josh