Best Post workout Meal for Muscle gain & Bodybuilding, What to eat after a workout to build Muscle, Best Post workout Snacks, Best Post workout Drinks
Hitting gym is a good habit but it is useless even harmful without proper nutrition. Proper pre workout & post workout meal is the key factor to acheive goals for them we sticks to gym. It is much essential to get proper managed nutrition. Working out in gym without proper nutrition may lead to various serious consequences like shrinkage of body due to lack of nutrition.
Here we are going to discuss about Post Workout Nutrition.
Why post workout meal is essential?
When you’re working out, your muscles need energy. They use their glycogen stores for fuel which in turn cause partially depletion of glycogen. Some of the proteins in your muscles also get catabolized. Muscles got break down due to heavy workout. However, pre workout meal helps in protecting from depletion of glycogen & muscular catabolism.
Post workout meal is essential to replenish body’s glycogen stores by carb and repair the muscles with regeneration & generation of new muscular fibres by proper protein.
Therefore, post workout meal helps in :
- Decreasing the muscle protein breakdown.
- Increasing muscle protein synthesis (muscles growth).
- Restore glycogen stores.
- Overall, Enhance recovery.
What should you eat after workout?
Post workout meal should consists of Carbohydrate, Protein, Healthy Fat & Micro-nutrients (e.g. Calcium). Choosing easily digested foods in post workout meal will promote faster nutrient absorption.
1. Protein
Consuming an adequate amount of high quality protein after a heavy workout gives your body the essential amino acids. They helps in repairing & rebuilding the muscular proteins and act as building blocks required to build new muscle tissue or muscle fibres.
Quality Protein should be consumed within 45 minutes of workout. You should strive for atleast 30-40 gms of protein.
Quality proteins should be consumed as following :
- Whey Protein (Whey protein can be obtained from protein powders. ).
- Egg Protein.
Where to Buy Whey Proteins? (Recommended by professionals)
Protein can be obtained from following sources :
- Eggs (Egg White : Egg Yolk :: 75% : 25%)
- Protein powders
- Cottage cheese
- Greek yogurt
- Fish e.g. Salmon, Tuna
- Chicken
- Protein bar
- Milk contains 3.4 gm protein per 100 ml (80% Casein + 20% Whey protein)
2. Carbohydrate
Consuming an adequate amount of carbohydrate after a heavy workout helps to replenish the glycogen stores that have been used as fuel during exercise. Carbohydrate helps in increasing the size of muscular tissues assisting the muscular repair. It helps in preventing the muscular shrinkage.
Experts recommends the consumption of Carbs to Protein in a ratio of 3:1.
Iinsulin secretion, which promotes glycogen synthesis, is better stimulated when carbs and protein are consumed at the same time. Therefore, consuming both carbs and protein after exercise can maximize protein and glycogen synthesis.
Carbohydrate can be obtained from following sources :
- Sweet potatoes
- Grains (Roti)
- Breads, Multi grain breads
- Rice e.g. Brown rice, White rice
- Oats
- Potatoes
- Chocolate milk
- Quinoa
- Fruits (pineapple, berries, banana, kiwi)
- Pasta
- Dark, leafy green vegetables
3. Fat (Lipid)
Healthy fat should be included in post workout meal. However, fat might slow down the absorption of your post-workout meal, it does not overcome its benefits.
Post workout meal should be fulfilled with healthy fat including essential fatty acids : α-linolenic acid (omega-3 fatty acid), linoleic acid (omega-6 fatty acid).
Some amount of healthy fat is essential for body. Fat store energy, insulate us and protect our vital organs. They act as messengers, helping proteins do their jobs. They also start chemical reactions that help control growth, immune function, reproduction and other aspects of basic metabolism.
Healthy Fat can be obtained from following sources :
- Avocado
- Nuts e.g. Peanuts, Almonds, Cashew
- Nut butters e.g. Peanut butter
- Trail mix (dried fruits and nuts)
- Fish oil
- Egg yolk
A study showed that whole milk was more effective at promoting muscle growth after a workout than skim milk.
When to eat Post Workout Food?
Experts recommend eating your post-workout meal within 45 minutes. However, the timing does not need to be exact.
It is believed that the delay of carb consumption by as little as two hours after a workout may lead to as much as 50% lower rates of glycogen synthesis.
However, if you consumed pre workout meal,e it’s likely that the benefits from that meal still apply after training.
