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The
post-workout period is without a doubt the most critical
time to take advantage of proper muscle-building nutrition.
We’ll define the post workout period as the 3 hours that
immediately follows an intense workout. It is during this
time when the body is most primed for nutrient absorption
and the muscles will literally act like a sponge, soaking up
everything you present them with.
By feeding your
body with the proper nutrients from both whole foods and
supplements during this all-too important time frame you
will greatly increase your muscle gains and improve your
recovery time.
Let’s take a
quick look at what needs to be accomplished after an intense
workout: |
1)
Muscle breakdown must be minimized and the body must be put back
into an anabolic, muscle-building state.
2)
Blood sugar and glycogen levels must be restored.
3)
Free radicals must be neutralized.
4)
The muscles must be fed with proper nutrients to facilitate recovery
and growth.
This can be accomplished
by consuming 2 special “post-workout meals”.
The first meal should be
consumed entirely in liquid form. Your body is in a high state of
stress, literally starving for nutrients, and you need to replenish
this imbalance in the fastest way possible. A liquid meal will be
digested quicker than any other and will allow your body to start
rebuilding itself immediately.
This post-workout shake
should ideally contain the following:
1)
30-40 grams of whey protein.
2) 70-80 grams of simple sugar. (Dextrose is a
great sugar to use)
3) 5 grams of creatine.
4) 5 grams of glutamine.
All of these ingredients
should be mixed in water and consumed within half an hour of
completing your workout. I would also suggest taking a high-potency
multivitamin along with the shake. This simple liquid meal will go a
long way in accelerating the muscle growth process and helping you
to recover.
About 45 minutes to an
hour after your post-workout shake, you should consume your second
post-workout meal, which should come from whole foods. This meal
should be rich in protein and high glycemic carbohydrates.
High glycemic
carbohydrates are those that are broken down rapidly into the
bloodstream. Some examples include, potatoes, white rice or rice
cakes. Here are a couple of examples of what your second
post-workout meal might look like:
1)
6oz steak, 1 potato, 1 glass of orange juice
2) 1 can of tuna, 100g rice cakes, 1 glass of
grapefruit juice
This meal will continue to
provide your starving muscles with the nutrients they require in
order to synthesize new muscle tissue and restore glycogen levels.
After this second meal there is still about 2 hours or so to take
advantage of as best you can.Your goal in this 3-hour window is to
consume as much high quality protein and high glycemic carbohydrates
as you can.
Most lifters highly
underestimate the value of the post-workout period and hinder their
gains as a result. One of the biggest mistakes you could possibly
make would be to ignore the value of this 3-hour period and to slack
off on your protein and carb intake.
Treat the post-workout
period with respect and prepare for a noticeable boost in your
muscle size and strength gains.
There are also 3 other
highly important times throughout the day to pay special attention
to the foods and supplements that you consume. Visit my website by
clicking the link below to find out what they are, and how to
properly approach these periods for the best possible results...
About The Author
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Once an awkward,
pencil-necked "social reject", Sean Nalewanyj is
now a renowned bodybuilding expert, fitness author, and
creator of the most celebrated natural bodybuilding program
online today: "The Muscle Gain Truth No-Fail
System".
If you can spare
just 24 minutes a day, then you too can build a powerful new
head-turning body that will skyrocket your confidence, drive
gorgeous women crazy, and leave your friends, family and
co-workers staring in disbelief... ALL in just a matter of
months: www.MuscleGainTruth.com |
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