Post Workout foods

HI,

I am looking for post workout foods. Any Suggestions?

What type of workout and what type of eating plan are you following?

doesnt matter what you eat post workout. meal timing and nutrient partitioning is irrelevant outside the context of a daily diet.
if any has an opposing opinion i want to see a peer reviewed published medical study that proves your point (hint: there isnt any)

Well, if you're training in a fasted state (and not just 4 hours since the last meal), there is probably a benefit to some post-workout protein. Otherwise, Marlboro Man is right. Eat whatever you like after a workout, as long as it doesn't keep you from exceeding your calorie limit, or meeting your protein and fat needs.

and even if you are training in a fasted state the benefits will be minimal as compared to daily totals especially if your daily protein is insufficient.

I'm sorry but I couldn't disagree with you more. Within 90 min... Preferably 30-60min after your workout you need to rehydrate with water and have some time of snack (not a huge meal, a snack) that has carbs and protein in it. Which is why a lot of people who are building muscle mass choose to drink protein shakes after lifting. To rebuild torn muscle lots of protein and water is needed. Carbs are needed to replenish your muscle energy stores you just used up during your workout. The post workout drink of choice of most professional athletes and Olympians is chocolate milk believe it or not. They can't yet figure out why it does so well as a recovery drink but it's got something to do with the carbs, protein and fat in the milk along with the sugar in the chocolate. And don't forget how important it is to eat correctly before your workout. An hour before you hit it eat a small snack with some carbs and a bit of protein. Drinking a cup of coffee before a workout has been shown to boost performance also. If you need any more info I'll be happy to share. I've done lots of research on this topic.

I agree with Cort, and here's a peer reviewed published medical study for Marlboro Man, since he so desperately wants it:

Kreider RB, Earnest CP, Lundberg J, Rasmussen C, Greenwood M, Cowan P, Almada AL. Effects of ingesting protein with various forms of carbohydrate following resistance-exercise on substrate availability and markers of anabolism, catabolism, and immunity. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2007;4:18. doi: 10.1186/1550-2783-4-18.

Thank you Erika, I was just reading through some. There are a lot out there actually. Lot's of good info. Even ones that have to do with re-hydrating after workouts and the benefits of stretching

erika, you crack me up!

"When you think you know everything, you've got no room to learn anything."

I tthrew that in for you Cort, I believe you are a lover of quotes as I... plus it just seems fitting here.

I'm sorry, but that study doesn't support the idea that particular post-workout nutrition in a non-fasted state results in long-term changes in body composition.

First, the subjects in that study were training in a fasted state, which we've already covered.

Second, the study showed only an acute response on blood glucose availability and insulin. As the study itself said, those are only "markers of anabolism and catabolism."

More to the point would be a controlled study comparing not just actual body composition changes (rather than "markers" of anabolism), but also long-term rather than acute responses. I am not aware that any exists. There are, however, many showing acute responses in fasted subjects, and supplement companies have exploited these relentlessly to convince people that a post-workout whey shake is "necessary."

Not only does adequate pre-workout nutrition by itself eliminate the need for immediate post-workout nutrition, but the receptivity of muscle to protein dosing can persist for at least 24 hours after training:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21289204

The idea that there is a 60 (or 30, or 90) minute post-workout "anabolic window" where protein (or any other combination of macronutrients) must be supplied to ensure maximum muscle protein synthesis is just not supported by the evidence. Supplement peddler marketing notwithstanding.

Marlboro Man doesn't seem to think that pre-workout nutrition has any impact either.

So I can just eat one 1800 calorie meal a day, and then workout afterwards, and then not eat until my next daily 1800 calorie meal?

Zawadzki KM, Yaspelkis BB 3rd, Ivy JL. Carbohydrate-protein complex increases the rate of muscle glycogen storage after exercise. J Appl Physiol. 1992 May;72(5):1854-9. PubMed PMID: 1601794.

For every study, there is an equal but opposite... re-study....

I'm not trying to sell protein supplements or workout shakes, I'm just saying that it seems pretty logical to me to give your body back some of what it lost after you work out.

Yeah, its called intermittent fasting, except you generally train in a fasted state and have the meal afterwards.

Yeah, but meal timing doesn't matter.

Whether or not it impacted my body composition, someone would get hurt if I did that because I would be SO crabby!!

I don't want to speak for him, but I think his point was that even in those conditions where post-workout nutrition is probably important, the effect on body composition is still far less significant than the effect of ensuring adequate protein, calories, and fats over the course of the day.



You probably could, yes. Like sbutler said, intermittent fasting is a popular and effective protocol.



First, I don't agree that science is necessarily a matter of he said/she said. If the literature disagrees, some of those results can't and won't be replicated. Often, the results aren't in fact inconsistent - which is why digging around in the methodology matters.

Second, I can't access the full text of the study you linked, but the abstract seems to be discussing acute effects on glycogen storage. That isn't directly relevant to body composition or muscle protein synthesis. Yes, a post-workout CHO/PRO shake will refill your glycogen more quickly. And it can taste good and make you feel better, in which case, go for it. But if we're talking about body composition changes from certain PWO nutrition (and it's not really clear from the OP's vague question), then it's not really relevant to overall muscle protein synthesis.



Let me quote someone smarter than myself on that point:


[from Alan Aragon]

If you're not an endurance athlete finishing up a depletion workout, and you're not training fasted - the nutrients you're looking to a PWO meal for, are likely already making their way into your system. And even if they aren't, you have a nice big window of time to take advantage of the enhanced muscle receptivity, not merely 30 to 90 minutes.

By all means, have a PWO shake or meal if you like. I usually do. But the evidence at this point doesn't support the idea that someone else taking that PWO shake will end up bigger, stronger, or faster than you, if you don't.

Canomania, I'm old school when it comes to postworkout nutrition. I take in 20-30g of protein to feed my muscles! I typically get this from a protein shake (I prefer high protein and low carb since I'm on a low carb diet) or a natural source like chicken breast or fish. Simple.

I hope that wasn't directed at me because I do not know everything, never claimed to. But I will share the information I do know...

I do love that quote though. Thanks

This is crazy! Every study does have an opposite study. Just like for those who believe that 2nd hand smoke is bad and has health side effects. There are millions of studies out there that support this as a fact. You will also find studies that show there are no side effects of 2nd hand smoke. After reading both sides I am still a believer that 2nd hand smoke has harmful side effects.

I feel the same with this particular topic. They health and wellness field is pretty new to us and we are constantly learning. Perhaps there are not "benefits" to eating in a post workout window but I will still believe that their is... why? because that is the latest, newest information about workout recovery. I will use whey protein on occasion but more as a meal replacement. I do not use a supplement or strict recovery shake every time I hit the weights. The most elite athletes in the world use this post recovery window, the most elite trainers in the world preach it and the material that I had to learn to become a personal trainer teaches it so until sufficient evidence proves that there is no reason for post recovery nutrition I will believe it to be true. For now I will preach what the the facts are... not the studies that go on to prove those facts incorrect. Just like millions of things that occur in our bodies we don't know the answer for, this is another. Ask yourself this question and search for the scientific reason why... Why do we yawn?

Don't you have super low blood sugar levels with this intermittent fasting? If I workout without eating I get very dizzy and light headed. I haven't heard of this fasting. Care to give me an example of what your eating schedule would look like with a workout involved.

So can we actually get back to the original posts question? They wanted suggestions... not a debate.