Should You Consume Any Food after workout?

Yes you should after an intense workout like the one we have at Perth Women Bootcamp in College Park, Nedlands. And it would be best to have the post-workout food within 45 minutes after a intense workout. Why 45 minutes ? Well doesn't have to be exact. It's important to do that because research had found that the body absorbed the nutrients best during that 45 minutes. Anything roughly after that, the absorption will be sub-optimal. And you will be setting your body up in a catabolic state which will mean that your body will break down protein in your muscles.

This would be detrimental to your overall recovery because your muscles instead of being repaired for damage induced by the workout they further break down. The result is you never recover from the last workout when you start your next workout maybe 2 days later. Then it will get worse as you go on like this because your muscles are never repaired and you eventually becomes very tired and worse of all lower your metabolism. And lowering your metabolism will cause your body to gain weight easily and finding fat loss a challenge.

For effective fat loss and improved metabolism, it is paramount that muscle tissue is preserved as much as possible. And to do that, you got to have that post-workout recovery food to effectively help you take on the next workout with minimal fatigue and muscle soreness.

What is a Great Post Workout food?
The carbs to protein ratio should be 2:1. The carbs should allow quick digestion so that the protein can be quickly transported to the body for repair. The best form of protein recommended here based on research is Whey Protein Isolate because it is readily digested, absorbed and used by the body. How much protein then? Research indicate 14gram of protein and the carbs should be of low fibre content. Why low fibre? Fibre will slow down the absorption. But fibre should be included in every other meal to slow down sugar release so that your body can burn more fat as a fuel.

So What's the Take Home Message Here?
If you're working out hard and wants to see result and make your effort count, you got to consume a post-workout recovery food that is make up of protein and quick-digesting carbs. If not, what's the point of working out so hard when research shows that people who don't consume post-workout food end up gaining more fat, lower their metabolism, and recover slower.

Some suggestions: One egg white would give you about 6.1 gram of protein and a banana would give you about 27gram of quick digesting carbs.
If you find it hard to eat after a workout, you might look over what my friends at ProGrades have for you.

Don't just train hard. Train Smart!
TC
Perth Women Bootcamp