Timing of eating for recovery post heavy lifting workout

HeySwoleSister

I'm trying to lower my bodyfat% and build (or at the very least preserve) muscle mass. I've been losing weight slowly and steadily for about 3 months now, and about 6 weeks ago started lifting heavy. (Well, heavy for me...I've got a ways to go!) I tweaked my macro settings to increase protein, and I have been shuffling my calories around to take in more on my workout days if possible. (I tend to average out to my goal calories or slightly over when looking at the week as a whole, I'm not slavish to daily counts)

Thing is, I find that I'm not as hungry on workout days, and I'm RAVENOUS the next day. I stayed up late last night trying to hit my protein numbers because I had just upped some weights yesterday afternoon...and now today I want ALL THE FOOD.

Would it still be effective for muscle building/retention if I were to shift my "eat days" to the recovery day following a workout? I'm wondering if perhaps my appetite is my body telling me that's what it would prefer...but, then, exercise has always been a bit of a short-run appetite suppressant for me, so that could be it as well. What I don't want to do is lose muscle mass by being at a deficit on lifting days and then add more bodyfat on the recovery day when it catches up to me.

In other news...where does one get a reliable bf% reading? I know that the home scales and measurements are not reliable....but I'd like to get a gauge....

Fat4Fuel2

You can get bf% readings from different universitys or hospitals that are more accurate. If you have a home scale that reads it, just measure the same every time (i.e. same time of day, same day of week) As long as the number is going down, you're moving in the right direction.

As far as eating with lifting work outs... You're muscles grow not from gym time, but the recovery after the gym. Your body is probably telling you it's hungry because it's using energy to heal your muscles. Some body builders eat every 2 hours just to keep up with their metabolism and muscle growth! If you're hungry, eat; if you're not hungry, don't eat. Just hit the macros or the protein you want to for the day to build muscle.

Showcase_Brodown

I would say don't stress out much about the timing, as it doesn't end up mattering much if at all. Eat when you want to eat, and aim for a weekly total of calories, getting plenty of protein along the way, and you'll be fine.

lisalsd1

When I first started, I found that on my non-lifting days...I was super hungry. I increased my protein significantly. I think I have it set at 40% in MFP, but usually go over. This made a big difference in my appetite following a lifting day.

allie_00p

Generally they say that your anabolic window is about an hour after you lift, so to optimally preserve muscle you'll want to consume 20+ grams of protein within that time frame. Other than than, as long as you're getting the right # of calories overall, I wouldn't worry about timing.

Cortelli

Here is an interesting look at nutrient timing wrt resistance training: jissn.com/content/10/1/5

I am a believer that for all but the most intense and competitive athletes, nutrient timing should be somewhere well south of the top of one's priorities around diet and fitness. I just think it is really pushing the outer edge of performance enhancement and most of us would probably do better to spend our time managing more important stuff. That being said, to the extent it is a priority for you, the apparent window of maximum effectiveness seems to be a period of 3-6 hours between pre-workout feeding and post-workout feeding. What this means for me is that I try to work-out having had something to eat in the hour or so before hitting the gym, and try to have a meal within a few hours of finishing my workout. (But I don't sweat it too much - I am nowhere near that category of "intense and competitive athletes" with which I started the post). Also note that there are a fair bit of folks (generally not in a calorie deficit I believe) who workout fasted or with just BCAAs, as there is some evidence that doing so may stimulate muscle growth.

Based on your post, I'd say maybe consider eating more on your rest days, since you seem to be ravenous then but not on workout days. I don't notice much of a difference myself, but in your shoes, if I were varying my caloric intake, I'd push a little more into rest days. (sounds to me like you are in an overall caloric deficit, regardless, yes?)

For bodyfat testing, google "hydrostatic weighing," "DEXA scan," and "Bod Pod" in your area. Depending on the density of your locale, there may be one or more commercial providers, and as previously noted universities and hospitals frequently have access to one or more methods (the DEXA scan is often used for diagnosing / evaluating osteoporosis, so very frequently there is at least a referral location a local health care provider may direct you to).

HeySwoleSister

Thanks, all, for the great input. I've been eating a high protein meal after workouts (between the food and the kefir I drink then, I usually get 40-50g within an hour after I'm done lifting) It's after I've had a good night sleep that my appetite then catches up to me and I'm all OM NOM NOM. Which is cool, I don't sweat a little extra on hungry days, but, like I said, I would like to inform my body that those calories are to be allocated to muscle building and not fat. (I have no idea to whose attention to send that memo, sadly)

I'll scope around and see if I can find a place to do a quality bf scan. Measurement calculators put me at 19%, but I suspect I'm somewhere around 21-22% based on photos and honesty about my lack of fitness. Would like to get to the 17-18 range. So, yeah...not "intense and competitive," LOL.

Cortelli

EWJLang wrote: »

[. . .] I would like to inform my body that those calories are to be allocated to muscle building and not fat. (I have no idea to whose attention to send that memo, sadly)

I usually just chant "muscle only, no fat, muscle only, no fat, don't be a bad nutrient partition, don't make me hurt you, muscle only . . ." -- I do my best to keep it under my breath, but sometimes I get a little loud. I am not yet sure how effective it is (not enough data to compare to my prior practice of hoping for the best) but I find I get a lot more elbow room in my work cafeteria and when I am out at a restaurant my service is always exceedingly prompt, so at least there's that.

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