Friday, April 19, 2013

Post Workout Nutrition



                 “Why we do what we do is speculative. How we get in shape is science”

                                                                                                ~Me J

Replenishing muscle glycogen stores after exercise is beneficial for recovery and enhancing the effects of resistance training for all athletes… male or female. Glycogen repletion occurs faster after immediately after exercise because of the elevation of insulin, testosterone, and growth hormone in the blood stream.  

The muscle cells are more likely to uptake glucose and are more sensitive to the effects of insulin (the hormone that takes sugar out of the blood and into muscle), which promotes glycogen synthesis. With this in mind, its best to drink a shake within 30-45 minutes post-workout window to maximize glycogen storage.   

Carbohydrates are a must as well…you should have 0.5 grams of carbohydrates per lb. of body weight. An athlete who weighs 150 pounds, for example, should eat 75 grams of carbs right after training…this should be a shake composed of 1 banana in addition to the carbs within the meal replacement/protein type shake.

Proteins can also enhance glycogen replacement after hard exercise and promoting muscle synthesis. The elevation of testosterone and Growth hormone will provide a faster transportation of protein to the damage tissue to aid in the repairing process.

A winning combination should include 1 gram of protein for every three grams of carbohydrates. Remember…it’s also beneficial to eat well throughout the day, but post-exercise refueling is a crucial for muscle recovery, growth and repair.