Post-Workout Eating
Eating after your workout is crucial in order to repair the muscles you
have worked, explains Naidoo. Raleigh adds: "Supplying immediate sources of
protein and carbohydrates to your body begins the repairing, rebuilding and refueling
phases your body needs to avoid the breaking down of precious muscle
mass."
Chris Mason, co-owner of AtLarge Nutrition,
is involved with bodybuilding and powerlifting. He says: "Recovery is a term
that's bandied about a great deal, yet is often misused. Technically, recovery
is not what any hard-training individual wants as a result of their efforts; what
you want is super-compensation."
Recovery from a session means that you get
back to the same physical state that you were in prior to training, while super-compensation
is when your body adapts to the stimulus of training by getting bigger, faster,
stronger or more aerobically fit, or a combination thereof He explains that
post-workout (PWO) nutrition is only one aspect of the larger nutrition component,
but its effects on recovery and super-compensation are very important.
'After an intense session, your body is in
a unique physiological state; the PWO nutrition window is real and should be taken
advantage of by any athlete looking to optimize their performance," he says.
While training stimulates increased protein synthesis, it simultaneously stimulates
an increased breakdown of protein, so adequate nutrients - most importantly
protein and carbohydrates - must be available during this period.
When should you eat after traning?
Hamlett says that a recommendation in most
circles is to use the window hour after training to ensure thatyou get your
protein in. Raleigh agrees that in order to give your body optimum recovery,
you need your post-training snack or meal, containing carbohydrates and protein,
ideally within 30 minutes of exercising.
Bester suggests that you should wait no longer
than two hours post-exercise, and eat a balanced meal (you must not neglect to
add good fat to your meal). You have a window period of about 30 to 60 minutes
in which your body is catabolic and requires fuel to replace the energy exerted
during the training session. "This food does not turn into fat, provided that
you are eating the correct food, but rather refuels the energy stores to help the
recovery process and enhance performance for the next round of exercise," says
Reichman-Israelsohn.
However, Tim Noakes, professor of exercise and
sports science at the University of Cape Town, feels that people should eat
according to their hunger, not necessarily according to some fixed schedule. He
explains that his research shows that carbohydrate-based diets cause you to
overeat and to be hungry most of the time. If you are eating a high-carbohydrate
diet, you tend to eat at regular intervals, as if you didn't, you would be
perpetually hungry However, once you remove or reduce the amount of
carbohydrate in your diet, you start eating in response to proper feeding cues.
He believes that by eating a high-fat, high-protein diet, you don't eat as much
or as frequently, and only when you feel hungry.
“Steer clear of fibre directly after your
workout, as these will slow down digestion rather than help refuel the body”
What should you eat?
Hamlett says: 'After training, it is optimal
to eat a protein of the highest quality and absorption, and it should simulate the
time it takes for a carb to be absorbed." Experts agree that a good
combination of carbs and protein is essential.
Naidoo advises going for a quick-absorbing carb
and protein, because after training you need to replenish lost nutrients quickly.
Reichman-Israelsohn says that it's the only time you can get away with a
high-GI carb, as these carbs replenish glycogen levels and also spike insulin levels
to act as a carrier for the proteins and amino acids.
According to Raleigh, dates, brown pasta, bananas
and potatoes are all good choices. "Steer clear of fibre directly after your
workout, as this will slow down digestion rather than help refuel the body."
Bester recommends lean protein such as beef and chicken, and potatoes, rice,
vegetables or fruit as your carbs.
Mason believes that the best thing to take
is a shake, consisting of a combination of protein and carbohydrates. "The
primary reason for this is the absorption rate. Liquid meals are normally digested
and absorbed at a slightly quicker pace than a comparable solid-food meal,"
he says. The faster you can make amino acids (protein) and glucose (carbohydrates)
available to the muscle cells, the greater the potential PWO recovery response.
Mason agrees with including a simple carbohydrate into the shake, to allow for a
quick spike of blood-glucose levels, which provides the hungry muscle cells with
the fuel they need to replenish diminished glycogen stores. At the same
blood-glucose spike triggers a strong insulin response by the body, which
harnesses the optimization of the PWO response.
Raleigh says that whey protein power is a particularly
good choice, as it is one of the few proteins that have a 100% absorption rate.
However, this recommendation will change if you are diabetic or have high blood
pressure.
Raleigh says that combining carbohydrates with
protein is an ideal way for diabetics or those with high blood pressure to manage
their sugar levels.
Registered dietician, Celynn Erasmus, adds that
if you are diabetic, and exercise intensely, you can have a high-GI option, as
long as it is portion controlled. However, she suggests the best options for
diabetics are medium GI foods, like tropical fruit. Erasmus warns that eating
low-GI foods will not help replenish your muscles after an intense workout.
“Also remember that while eggs are an
excellent source of protein, they are high in cholesterol, and those who suffer
from cholesterol problems should consult with their doctor for daily
allocation," says Raleigh.
On the other hand, Noakes believes that you
should not be eating carbohydrates at all; instead, you should follow a high-fat,
high-protein diet. However, he also advocates eating what your body tells you to
eat. "If you are an elite athlete, there might be some advantage to taking
more protein in the moment that you stop exercising. But for the vast majority
of exercisers, it really doesn't make a lot of difference what you eat after
you have exercised," he adds.
Ultimately, you will need to assess the
type of exercise you are doing, what your nutritional needs are, and what you
feel most comfortable with when it comes to which advice you choose to follow
according to your own unique body type.
