So, you’ve eaten clean all day, skipped the mid-morning raid of the biscuit tin, taken the stairs, and just finished a killer workout – that’s everything done right? Unfortunately, not quite. Believe it or not, recovering effectively from your workout is just as important as fuelling correctly beforehand.
Here’s some guidance on how to reap the full reward of all those hours sweated out in the gym.
Post-workout fuelling – why is it important?
During both cardiovascular and resistance exercise, skeletal muscle fibres become depleted of glycogen[1] (the body’s storage form of carbohydrates) which can lead to fatigue. Consuming a source of carbohydrates – such as a glass of milk, a banana, or an electrolyte energy drink – replenishes muscle glycogen stores and gets you ready for your next session. It will also help stabilise your blood glucose levels, which will have dropped during exercise[2], potentially making you feel sluggish and lethargic.
Getting a hit of protein is also paramount to prevent loss of lean muscle mass. Consuming around 30g of protein after your session induces a state of positive nitrogen balance – this means you will start synthesising new muscle proteins (from amino acids) instead of breaking them down[3]. Aim to get a protein hit within 2 hours after exercise – this period is the optimum window for your muscles to respond to amino acids[4].
What type of protein?
Your muscles have been worked pretty hard and literally ripped apart, so they need a good quality source of protein to recover effectively. This doesn’t mean the most expensive, or the most organic, or the lowest in fat – what you need is a decent source of essential amino acids (EAA’s). EAA’s cannot be synthesised by the body, but they are necessary for muscle growth (Leucine, in particular), so they must be obtained from the diet. A chicken breast, for example, contains 31g of protein including 2g of leucine. If you’re a vegetarian, you’ll need a greater variety of plant-based protein sources (beans, soya, nuts) to meet your EAA requirements.
Now you can’t be expected to take a packed lunch to the gym (no judgement if you do!) but for convenience, time, and sheer deliciousness, packing a protein shake in your kit can be a saving grace. Whey protein is the best for stimulating muscle protein synthesis, due to its faster digestibility and higher leucine content compared to soy and casein[5].
Don’t sweat it
Unless you’re a super-duper fitness machine, you will have no doubt worked up a sweat. Firstly, well done – keep going! Secondly, you are now dehydrated. Sweating can cause you to lose a significant amount of body water, alongside salts (mainly sodium and potassium) which need to be replaced to maintain fluid homeostasis and keep your kidneys happy[6]. Ensure you drink a litre of water after your session, or more following intense or long-duration exercise. Even better, throw in some electrolytes (you can get these in tablet, powder, or liquid form) or a glass of milk, both of which contain a range of minerals – including magnesium, calcium, and sodium – for quick and effective rehydration.
[1] Koopman et al. (2006) Intramyocellular lipid and glycogen content are reduced following resistance exercise in untrained healthy males. European Journal of Applied Physiology [Online], 96 (5) March, pp. 525-534.
[2] Galbo et al. (1977) Glucose-induced decrease in glucagon and pinephrine responses to exercise in man. Journal of Applied Physiology [Online], 42 (4) April, pp. 525-530.
[3] Wolfe (2012) The role of dietary protein in optimizing muscle mass, function and health outcomes in older individuals. The British Journal of Nutrition [Online], 108 (2) August, pp. 88-93.
[4] Atherton et al. (2010) Muscle full effect after oral protein: time-dependent concordance and discordance between human muscle protein synthesis and mTORC1 signaling. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition [Online], 92 (5) November, pp. 1080-1088.
[5] Tang et al. (2009) Ingestion of whey hydrolysate, casein, or soy protein isolate: effects on mixed muscle protein synthesis at rest and following resistance exercise in young men. Journal of Applied Physiology [Online], 107 (3) September, pp. 987-992.
[6] Verbalis (2003) Disorders of body water homeostasis. Best Practice & Research Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism [Online], 17 (4) December, pp. 471-503.
For more information or to book a Sport Nutrition consultation visit: https://info.corporatepersonalfitness.com/sportsnutrition1