How Important Is The Post Workout Meal

The Post Workout Meal can be one of the most important meals of the day for bodybuilding. It is one of the few times during the day when the carbohydrates you consume will go directly toward muscle building and glycogen storage instead of being stored as fat.

This one hour window of opportunity right after an intense workout is the best time to have your post workout meal. The reason is, after an intense workout, your muscle cells are split and your body is in desperate need of protein for repair.

Protein And Carbohydrates In Your Post Workout Meal

The carbohydrates and protein that are in your meal after a workout should be fast absorbing to help with the speedy recovery. The faster the muscle can receive protein, the faster you can perform you next workout and this process is how we gain muscle over time.

Some great choices for your post workout meal should include…

Post Workout Meal – Proteins

Whey protein (supplement)
Egg whites
Chicken
Fish.

Post Workout Meal – Carbohydrates

Dextrose (supplement)
Fruits
Honey.

You may have noticed that you do not consume fats (good or bad) in your post workout meal. There is a place in your diet for healthy fats but right after your workout is not one of the times. The reason is, fat will slow down your digestion and that is the last thing you want right after a workout.

The same goes for complex carbohydrates. They will also slow down digestion. You need simple carbohydrates right after a workout to spike your insulin level so the protein will be transported to the muscle faster.

The meal right after your workout should be one of your biggest meals of the day. Loaded with protein and carbohydrates, the post workout meal is one of the most important parts of the recovery process.

Henry Chervenka

Post Workout Meal related information.