Post-Workout Meals: Why They are Important

I have really been getting into weight lifting. More specifically, I am enjoying doing at-home dumbbell training. I should actually say that I have really been getting back into weight lifting. You see, when I was 14-18 years old and in shape, I LOVED weight lifting. While many of my friends were taking dance classes I opted for weight training classes. Part of the reason was that I am just not very coordinated and I would probably embarrass myself. If you saw me do Zumba you would probably laugh so hard that you would crack a rib. I know that I look ridiculous , but that's why I only let my dog watch ( he doesn't judge! hehe. ) So, with that little back story out of the way...let me get to what  I really wanted to talk about in this post. Like I said,  I have been doing dumbbell training and that's provoked me to wonder if I am getting enough protein and other nutrients that muscles desire. That thought led me to post-workout meals. I already eat my dinner after I workout, but I am wondering if I am really giving those muscles what they are asking for. One reason I questioned this is because a lot of the time I feel way too run down the next day.

    According to BodyBuilding.com , there are some important nutrients to get not only after your workout, but before and while working out . In order to stay on the topic at hand, we'll just talk about Post-Workout Meals.

Protein is important because it is essential for tissue growth and repair. The amount you intake will depend on your own body and what you are trying to achieve. According to this calculator , a 191 pound person would consume 122 grams for endurance training, 156 grams for strength and power training and 174 for weight gain or weight loss training. This amount of protein can be a little hard for someone like me who doesn't care too much for red meats and is trying to cut down on animal proteins. That's when the help of protein shakes and bars come handy. There's multiple types of protein supplements but the most recommended is Whey Protein. It's rich in BCAA's, digests quickly, blends easily and is highly available. Recent research shows that a mixture of slow and fast digesting proteins may be best. An example would be Whey protein and Casein.

BCAA's (A.K.A. Branch Chain Amino Acids) are the building blocks of protein and muscle growth. You should intake about 4-8 grams before and after your workout or just do 10 grams after ( I use Amino-X by BSN Supplements). BCAA's are simple amino acids that form muscle tissue. They must be present in the body for muscle growth. BCAA's are important because when you are working out at a high intensity, your body will deplete your glycogen storage and send a signal to stop protein synthesis. You do not want that to happen. It's called making your body catabolic. BCAA's can reverse this effect and let your body continue with protein synthesis. The result is better muscle gain, quicker recovery and greater performance.

Fast Carbs (Optional) Now this is what  I think I have been missing and what has been leading me to extreme exhaustion the next day (I've overslept 2 hours and was late to work!) . Blood sugar and glycogen is low after you workout. If you are dieting while working out, you may have even gone into your reserves. Rather than worrying about building you muscles, your body want to level out your blood sugar and replenish glycogen. Ingesting 50-75 grams of high-glycemic carbs post workout will help spike insulin, spare your protein and speed recovery. Some examples would be a potato or  fruit. Take advantage of this time that you "need" fast carbs and have a little treat for getting your workout done. Yes, chips and white bread would fall in this category, but you just worked out and you're trying to be healthy so don't use this as an excuse to eat junk!