What’s the best way to refuel after my workout?

Hi Ariane,

Happy New Year’s!

Recently my boyfriend and I have been going to the gym at the same time in the morning before work, plus swimming about two mornings a week.  He jumps rope and lifts weights and I swim, spin or run and do lighter weights a couple times a week (and/or your DVD).  Following each workout, he insists that we both have a protein drink for recovery.  His protein drinks are made of plain Bluebonnet Whey
protein powder, some strawberry Kefir and skim milk.   It’s a little heavier and more caloric than my normal protein drinks which consist of Jay Robb Whey
 Chocolate Powder, water and a little almond milk.  


Prior to November, I always ate the same thing following my workouts…two hard boiled eggs and a bunch of kale.  For the past two months, I’ve been giving his post workout shake a try but am unsure as to what is the healthiest and most nutritious way to start my day following a workout.  He mentioned that the eggs have too much fat to consume immediately following a workout, so he will have his drink, wait one hour and then eat something. 

What do you recommend for a post workout shake/ breakfast?  What is the best way to start my day following exercise?  The exercise part is going great, I’m just unsure as the best thing to have next.

Keep in mind, that his recipe for protein shakes is tasty and is definitely growing on me, although I would prefer he use my almond milk (he says there is more protein in skim milk). 

Any suggestions or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.  

Thank you,

Elizabeth

 photo source: http://www.trimmedandtoned.com/female-strengh-training-guide-for-weight-loss-and-achieving-a-toned-sculpted-body
Hi Elizabeth, 

whether to have a high-carb or low-carb protein shake after your workouts depends entirely on your goals. Both of your options (eggs and kale or your boyfriend’s shake) work as a post-workout meal but there are a few things you want to know about maximizing your efforts.

If you’re looking to lose body fat, consume at least 20g of protein, along with about 20-30g of carbs within 30-60 minutes of finishing your workout. This is especially important after strength training workouts with heavy weights.

If you’re happy with where you are and are in maintenance mode, then you can refuel your lost glycogen with a breakfast that contains about 25g of protein and 35g of carbs (which in essence isn’t a big difference to your boyfriend’s shake).

Eating your breakfast within 30-60 minutes of finishing your workout rather than just having a shake is a good move because food has a greater satiation effect as it requires digestion. A shake doesn’t have the same lasting satiation effect because liquids get absorbed by your stomach lining very quickly and can leave you hungry shortly after drinking it. That’s even more true if you’re a fan of shakes made with fruit. Fruit doesn’t have any impact on satiation as it bypasses your blood sugar and goes directly to the liver.

Regarding your boyfriend’s comment on eating too much fat         after your workout…If you choose to have two eggs, you’re only consuming 10 grams of fat post-workout, which doesn’t have much impact on the rate of protein or carb absorption. In fact, 10 grams of fat will ensure that the meal keeps you satiated for a while and the carbs enter your blood stream slowly. If you were to have a burger or french fries after your workout, that’s an entirely different story. That amount of fat would not only slow your digestion down, but it would also slow down the absorption of protein into your muscles. The benefits of a high-protein high-fat meal after your workout would be zero because by the time you finally absorb the protein you’re beyond your muscles’ window of opportunity (which is about up to 60 minutes after your workout).

However, two eggs provide you with only 12 grams of protein, which isn’t enough for your muscle recovery, so add another 1-2 egg whites or have a shake (made with water) right after your workout as well.

Keep in mind also that your workout determines how you should refuel. if you’re doing mostly cardio, you’re burning off glycogen in your liver and muscles. After an hour of cardio in the morning on an empty stomach, you’re pretty much running on empty. At that point your body should be burning body fat for energy to fuel your workout. If you refuel with lots of carbs after your cardio workout, then you’re no longer in fat burning mode, but burning carbs from food instead. In effect you would be refueling all the carbs you just burned off with your cardio. Not a good move.

After a strength training workout it is crucial that you help your muscles repair and recover with protein post-workout, so eating protein along with carbs is key to burn body fat and keep lean.

You mentioned you’re lifting light weights. If you are looking to lose body fat, you want to lift heavy weights to maximize your efforts. Light weights require so many more reps to achieve a level of fatigue to challenge your muscles. Don’t worry, heavy weights will NOT make you bulky. You just don’t have enough testosterone as a woman to create massive bulk. Heavy weights get you results fast. Ideally perform a high-intensity interval training workout, where you alternate cardio and weights. It’s the most effective way to build lean muscle and lose body fat. Too much cardio, along with a low-calorie diet will not only slow down your metabolism and makes you lose muscle, but you’re in effect making it harder in the long run to stay lean.

What your boyfriend is doing works if his goal is to either stay at his current weight or if he wants to lean out. The moderate amount of carbs in the shake ensure that the protein gets to the muscles. Carbs signal insulin to be released and some insulin is needed to shuttle the protein to the muscles. By adding some kefir and milk and berries, he’s creating that effect. If his goal is to get more muscle on his body, he should consume the shake immediately after his workout and then eat his breakfast shortly thereafter, which he is doing right now. To gain muscle, extra calories are needed in the form of more protein and more carbs in proportion of 2:3 (which would be about 20g of protein along with 30g of carbs).

Lastly, here’s another bit of advice. There will be days when your carb intake is higher. For example, you had sweets or a cheat meal or drank alcohol. Follow up these days with low carb days. Start your next day with a morning workout and drink your low-carb protein shake right after. Your body will have enough carbs stored in the muscle and liver to fuel your workout and to last you even beyond that, Carry on throughout the day with low-carb options, ideally from veggies to balance out the previous day’s high carb intake. 

Hope you’re off to a great start to the new year!

Cheers, Ariane

Do I HAVE to eat after my workout?

Hi Ariane–

If I’m not hungry (just sore) after the workout, is it ok to just keep drinking water, or should I eat something to prevent feeling lethargic later? I don’t presently have access to any protein shakes, and I don’t want to eat anything that will undermine the fat burning!

Thank you,

Tessa

Hi Tessa,

the hour after your workout is your window of opportunity to refuel your body and help your muscles rebuild and repair. Eating nothing at all would be detrimental to your muscle growth. Even if you’re not hungry, drink at least a protein shake or eat a cup of Greek yogurt. Eat two hard boiled eggs or a few slices of turkey. It is important that you refuel your muscles with about 20-30 grams of protein (depending on how much muscle you have) so they can get started on repairing and rebuilding themselves. If you don’t have any protein coming in, then they will over time actually break down, rather than build up. You’re not undermining fat burning by eating as long as you’re not loading up on sugar and starches), but you’re actually slowing muscle growth by not eating. 

The key is to pair your protein with some carbs (the good kind) because the carbs help raise your insulin just a bit, which is key in driving the protein to the muscles. A perfect post-workout snack would be a cup of Greek yogurt with a few oats and berries on top, or grilled chicken with broccoli. If you are already at your goal body fat and goal weight and just want to work on maintaining your weight, then you can refuel by eating more carbs after your workout, such as brown rice or sweet potatoes. These carbs will be shuttled to your muscles and liver and when you work out the next day you will draw the energy from the muscles.

See you Tuesday!

Cheers, ariane