Eating after Workout

mlb929

I know that I'm supposed to eat within 1 hour of a workout for recovery. But what if I'm simply not hungry and the thought of food really make me ill. I'm worried that I may not keep the food down. I try to do a recovery drink or protein drink, but some days, especially if I've done an intense cardio work out, I don't want to eat.. Sometime its hours later before I feel like eating.

I get a little on the hungry side later and always go to healthy alternatives, meat and crackers or hard boiled egg. But am I really hurting my muscle recovery by not eating soon enough?

kaymd

I kind of wondered the same thing!

JustJessie

Is that true? I didn't know you were suppose to eat within an hour of working out.

dnbhippie

I've read this too. Apparently after a good hard workout it helps to eat something high in protein to help kick start the repair of your muscles.

I also wonder, if you drink some creatine before your workout, then be sure to drink some juices after, maybe that would be enough? Sounds like a good alternative to eating right after when you feel like you might vomit.

I don't have this problem at all. I do about 30 min of cardio at 180bpm heart rate then 5 min cool down to about 130 then do a half hour of stretching and weights. I feel like i could eat a whole garden when i'm done.


sources:
http://www.ivillage.com/how-soon-can-i-eat-after-working-out/4-n-142245
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/nutrition/a/aa081403.htm

murf19

If you don't want to eat some protien right after, try drinking a glass of lowfat chocolate milk. It is a great recovery drink!

carl1738

You are supposed to eat within an hour of completing a strength training workout, to give your muscles the required protein and carbs to repair themselves. With cardio, it is actually recommended that you refrain from eating for an hour, because you're not trying to build muscle, but simply burn fat. This is according to Men's Health magazine. I try to drink lots of water after a cardio session, but unless I'm feeling light headed, I don't eat anything.

gahdzila

carl1738 is absolutely right.

Though I don't avoid eating after cardio per se, I'm usually not hungry, and I make no effort to eat/drink a recovery meal. It adds calories, and it's unnecessary after cardio.

I do eat a recovery meal after weight training, as soon as possible. It's absolutely necessary, IMO. And sometimes I do have to force it down, but force it down I do. I usually do 6 oz skim milk and a scoop of whey protien powder, and a little orange juice for additional carbs. Even if I'm not up for eating, I usually don't have any trouble DRINKING a meal ;-)

TateFTW

Forget about an hour. You should comsume proteins and carbohydrates immediately following a workout, as soon as possible. You don't have to cram yourself, but after intense cardiovascular work or higher rep resistance work your body is craving anything to replenish it's glycogen stores, and will gladly take lean mass (muscle) to do it if you don't give it something else to work with.

A personal favorite of mine is a protein shake with half a banana for carbs. It can be small, and you can take your time and sip it if you must, but get SOMETHING.

Focus on low-fat foods following a workout. Most of the time I don't worry that much about how much fat I eat, but I like to avoid it right after a workout. It's normal for me to bust my butt on the weights for over an hour, then go straight to subways and cram a footlong chicken breast sub. Then I go home and take the bulk of my supplements for the day, because this is prime time to get them absorbed into the muscles.

alantin

No-one is hungry right after intense workout, but the body needs the nutrients anyway.
I am usually thirsty right after so drinking a recovery drink is no problem for me. I usually am hungry enough to eat a meal about an hour or two after that, but I usually just eat a meal right away when I get home.

Btw. It's not like you CAN'T eat if you aren't hungry! Snacking in front of TV, without really being hungry, has always come quite naturally to me at least.. :laugh:

mlb929

Forget about an hour. You should consume proteins and carbohydrates immediately following a workout, as soon as possible. You don't have to cram yourself, but after intense cardiovascular work or higher rep resistance work your body is craving anything to replenish it's glycogen stores, and will gladly take lean mass (muscle) to do it if you don't give it something else to work with.

I've read the same thing so many times and thought this prospect was correct. I know I need to get protein in me for muscle recovery, but I simply can't stand the thought of food beyond water. Thanks for putting it into more perspective though, I'd hate to lose lean muscle mass, as that's my ultimate goal. I didn't realize I'd lose it. Wonder if this explains why I feel more muscle fatigue doing P90X than I expected, when my rest days comes I'm ready for it.

So would like spoonful of peanut butter alone do the trick? Or do I need more than that?

So "hungry" wasn't the correct word, sorry I could go a whole day without eating and I've never snacked during TV - probably don't sit down that long. DH always confuses me that he wants a bowl of cold cereal after dinner, lol.

binary_jester

Forget about an hour. You should consume proteins and carbohydrates immediately following a workout, as soon as possible. You don't have to cram yourself, but after intense cardiovascular work or higher rep resistance work your body is craving anything to replenish it's glycogen stores, and will gladly take lean mass (muscle) to do it if you don't give it something else to work with.

I've read the same thing so many times and thought this prospect was correct. I know I need to get protein in me for muscle recovery, but I simply can't stand the thought of food beyond water. Thanks for putting it into more perspective though, I'd hate to lose lean muscle mass, as that's my ultimate goal. I didn't realize I'd lose it. Wonder if this explains why I feel more muscle fatigue doing P90X than I expected, when my rest days comes I'm ready for it.

So would like spoonful of peanut butter alone do the trick? Or do I need more than that?

So "hungry" wasn't the correct word, sorry I could go a whole day without eating and I've never snacked during TV - probably don't sit down that long. DH always confuses me that he wants a bowl of cold cereal after dinner, lol.

Carbs would help also. Look for a protein/waxy maize combo.

TateFTW

Forget about an hour. You should consume proteins and carbohydrates immediately following a workout, as soon as possible. You don't have to cram yourself, but after intense cardiovascular work or higher rep resistance work your body is craving anything to replenish it's glycogen stores, and will gladly take lean mass (muscle) to do it if you don't give it something else to work with.

I've read the same thing so many times and thought this prospect was correct. I know I need to get protein in me for muscle recovery, but I simply can't stand the thought of food beyond water. Thanks for putting it into more perspective though, I'd hate to lose lean muscle mass, as that's my ultimate goal. I didn't realize I'd lose it. Wonder if this explains why I feel more muscle fatigue doing P90X than I expected, when my rest days comes I'm ready for it.

So would like spoonful of peanut butter alone do the trick? Or do I need more than that?

So "hungry" wasn't the correct word, sorry I could go a whole day without eating and I've never snacked during TV - probably don't sit down that long. DH always confuses me that he wants a bowl of cold cereal after dinner, lol.

Actually peanut butter is mostly fats. Granted, natural PB is a great source of good fats and some protein, but right after a workout is not the time to go for the fats. Instead, focus on carbs and proteins. You can even slide and get some simple carbs if you want. This is the ONLY time when simple carbs can be part of a health focussed diet, in my humble opinion. Now, on my day off from training I actually try to make sure I get all of my fats, and even don't mind going over. This is because fat supports hormone production which can help your muscle recouperate and repair themselves on off days. Yesterday, for example, I had natural PB in two meals and a handful of almonds, even though it was a fasting day and I only consumed a total of 1450 calories.

On training days I always focus on tons of carbs, on non-training days I always make sure to get atleast my daily allotment of fats, and every day I try to get at least 1g of protein per lb of lean mass, which for me is around 175-180. Most days, however, I consume in excess of 200g of protein.

porcelain_doll

If you don't want to eat some protien right after, try drinking a glass of lowfat chocolate milk. It is a great recovery drink!

Agreed. My trainer also recommended that I do this. I always look forward to it.

BoresEasily

For the average person it's actually not necessary to eat immediately following a workout. The protein/carb thing after a workout for recovery is more for athletes. If you're not training to be an athlete then just eat when you're ready. In fact for HIIT sessions I've heard athletes shouldn't eat immediately following. Anyway the bottom line is unless you are trying to be a tenth of a second faster in a race or, in your sport of choice it doesn't matter if you eat directly following a workout.

TateFTW

For the average person it's actually not necessary to eat immediately following a workout. The protein/carb thing after a workout for recovery is more for athletes. If you're not training to be an athlete then just eat when you're ready. In fact for HIIT sessions I've heard athletes shouldn't eat immediately following. Anyway the bottom line is unless you are trying to be a tenth of a second faster in a race or, in your sport of choice it doesn't matter if you eat directly following a workout.

It's true. If you don't want results from your workout, then you don't need to worry about nutrition at all. If you don't want results, then hell, don't work out at all. Make room for those of us who actually want to change our physiques. Why exactly would someone work out if they don't want results? Call me crazy, but that seems like quite the waste of time.

guardup

If your cardio is not too intense (ie. something you do regularly and isn't stepping up the pace in training for an event) then the only thing you need to replace is your glycogen. You can get this with a simple glass of juice or other high carbohydrate drink or food. Although, adding fructose to a post workout protein shake (for when you do weight lifting or other activity that will cause a lot of soreness) does enhance the transport of branch-chain amino acids.

fasttrack27

It's my understanding that for a low intensity short workout nothing too fancy is needed. After a more intense 1-2 hour workout your muscles need to repair, among other things, and a recovery drink is critical within ONE-HALF an hour. The powder mix I started using is more like flavored water than a shake so it is easier for me to take right away. Maybe that would help you too. I worry about my meal after sauna, shower and drive back home from the gym when I start to feel more like eating.

BoresEasily

For the average person it's actually not necessary to eat immediately following a workout. The protein/carb thing after a workout for recovery is more for athletes. If you're not training to be an athlete then just eat when you're ready. In fact for HIIT sessions I've heard athletes shouldn't eat immediately following. Anyway the bottom line is unless you are trying to be a tenth of a second faster in a race or, in your sport of choice it doesn't matter if you eat directly following a workout.

It's true. If you don't want results from your workout, then you don't need to worry about nutrition at all. If you don't want results, then hell, don't work out at all. Make room for those of us who actually want to change our physiques. Why exactly would someone work out if they don't want results? Call me crazy, but that seems like quite the waste of time.

HAHAHA you will still see results from your workout if you eat later in the day, the difference is nearly insignificant and unless you're a professional athlete you wouldn't even notice the differences.

guardup

HAHAHA you will still see results from your workout if you eat later in the day, the difference is nearly insignificant and unless you're a professional athlete you wouldn't even notice the differences.

Research refutes your point. Studies have shown that the current international recommendations for protein levels are insufficient for people who are exercising intensely - not just professional athletes.

"It seems reasonable to conclude that the lowered rate of whole-body and perhaps muscle protein turnover that appears to occur in healthy adult subjects when intakes of indispensable amino acids approximate the current international figures, would probably diminish the individuals capacity to withstand successfully a major stressful stimulus. Again, for those reasons, we view the significant reduction in the rate of body protein turnover in healthy adults, which permits them to more closely approach or even achieve amino acid balance at currently accepted amino acid requirement intakes, as an accommodation. Thus we further conclude that these international requirement intakes are probably not sufficient to maintain a desirable or adapted state." Young VR., Marchini JS. Mechanisms and nutritional significance of metabolic responses to altered intakes of protein and amino acids, with reference to nutritional adaptation in humans. Am J Clin Nutr 1990;51:270-89

Lower levels of amino acids cause a drop in skeletal muscle protein synthesis. This negatively impacts the ability of the body to deal with tissue damage from intense exercise.

As well, another consideration is the quality of the protein you are eating. If you are only consuming 40 grams of protein a day, it better be a protein that is very digestible and has a high amino acid profile.

musclebuilder

For the average person it's actually not necessary to eat immediately following a workout. The protein/carb thing after a workout for recovery is more for athletes. If you're not training to be an athlete then just eat when you're ready. In fact for HIIT sessions I've heard athletes shouldn't eat immediately following. Anyway the bottom line is unless you are trying to be a tenth of a second faster in a race or, in your sport of choice it doesn't matter if you eat directly following a workout.

Consuming carbohydrates/food post exercise is not just a benefit to those who are competitive athletes. I think it is for anybody looking to maximize the results of the hard work they put in to being fit. Many people on this forum may not be competitive athletes yet getting the most out of their training and nutrition is just as important to them. You have people getting up at 4am to get in training before work or squeezing in training after work, pre preparing meals ect..Like Arnold Schwarzenegger said. What impressed him was when he would get up to go train at 7am and as he was walking in to the gym the 9-5 person was walking out to go head to work. He admired those people. So athlete or not people work very hard to achieve maximal results and they don't want to short change themselves one bit. And any improvement in performance is significant. But it is not just about performance but also body composition. After exercise there is an increase in and activation of proteins and enzymes that allow for increased nutrient uptake.. Basicly a partitioning of nutrients torwards lean tissue...The further from the end of your exercise bout you are the less of this partitioning of nutrients torwards lean tissue occurs.. It has been shown that after exercise the consumption of a carbohydrate meal does not suppress fat oxidation and also after exercise and the consumption of a post WO carbohydrate meal the pathway in which carbohydrate is involved in the synthesis of fat is suppressed.. Consuming a CHO meal in the resting state the opposite occurs..Consuming a large carbohydrate meal after moderate intensity exercise results in endogenous glucose oxidation to be completely suppressed..Fasting post exercise will not allow you to take advantage of this nutrient partitioning effect..Also reducing the adaptation to exercise, impairing recover and impairing performance for future bouts.

jo_marnes

I'm all for listening to what my body actually tells me. If my body needs food, I'll be hungry. If I don't, I won't. Keep it simple people!

Lyadeia

HAHAHA you will still see results from your workout if you eat later in the day, the difference is nearly insignificant and unless you're a professional athlete you wouldn't even notice the differences.

Research refutes your point. Studies have shown that the current international recommendations for protein levels are insufficient for people who are exercising intensely - not just professional athletes.

"It seems reasonable to conclude that the lowered rate of whole-body and perhaps muscle protein turnover that appears to occur in healthy adult subjects when intakes of indispensable amino acids approximate the current international figures, would probably diminish the individuals capacity to withstand successfully a major stressful stimulus. Again, for those reasons, we view the significant reduction in the rate of body protein turnover in healthy adults, which permits them to more closely approach or even achieve amino acid balance at currently accepted amino acid requirement intakes, as an accommodation. Thus we further conclude that these international requirement intakes are probably not sufficient to maintain a desirable or adapted state." Young VR., Marchini JS. Mechanisms and nutritional significance of metabolic responses to altered intakes of protein and amino acids, with reference to nutritional adaptation in humans. Am J Clin Nutr 1990;51:270-89

Lower levels of amino acids cause a drop in skeletal muscle protein synthesis. This negatively impacts the ability of the body to deal with tissue damage from intense exercise.

As well, another consideration is the quality of the protein you are eating. If you are only consuming 40 grams of protein a day, it better be a protein that is very digestible and has a high amino acid profile.

+1

Just to add my personal experience...late 2007 I did P90X without protein post-workout. Mid 2008 I did P90X again with protein post-workout. In the first go round, I was sore nearly everyday except for "rest day." I did NOT see as great muscle strength gains as I wanted. In fact, basic bicep curls stayed at 15 pounds for a 12 rep failure the whole 90 days!!! Second time around, on the other hand, I was stronger all over and not only did my numbers on paper show it, but the mirror showed me. I looked better and felt better, and was certainly stronger. And the soreness was greatly reduced, and actually went away after the first week other than the normal burn you feel while working out. Since then, I have always had a protein shake directly after working out. I also push myself extremely hard in my cardio sessions, and have the protein drink after them as well.

I may not be a professional athlete, but I saw and felt real results much much faster with more protein than what MFP says I should have...and drinking a protein shake right after my intense workouts.

And as a side note...if you are exercising, why NOT train as though you are an athlete??? You owe it to yourself to get in the best shape of your life!!!

shawnnshinta

it is essential to eat after a workout!
you have just depleted your body of the energy it had in store already, and now you want to not give it some energy for restoration of that energy?
If you don't give your body the energy it just depleted from the storehouse, your workout was essentially in vain!

But mix up your after work-out meal with carbs and protein, the quick absorbing kind like drinks, and the more slower kind like solid foods.

Work out hard and fast ( don't drag it out), and feed your body accordingly.

TateFTW

it is essential to eat after a workout!
you have just depleted your body of the energy it had in store already, and now you want to not give it some energy for restoration of that energy?
If you don't give your body the energy it just depleted from the storehouse, your workout was essentially in vain!

But mix up your after work-out meal with carbs and protein, the quick absorbing kind like drinks, and the more slower kind like solid foods.

Work out hard and fast ( don't drag it out), and feed your body accordingly.

Uh, I'm sorry, but I can't let that misinformation stand. The fact that nutrition is in liquid or solid form has very little to do with how quickly it's absorbed. There are a number of factors such as macronutrient content and type that have much more effect on speed of absorption. In fact, our digestive systems are not really designed to efficiently take in nutrients from liquid sources.

I think you're combining a couple different concepts in your statement. It's much easier to take in nutrients from liquids when someone is nauseous and can't stomach solid food, or simply isn't hungry, which is why so many people go for protein shakes right after a workout.

Many have theorized that it's best to combine both simple and complex carbs post workout to optimize how quickly then how long the body will have carbs to stimulate the insulin response, which is the whole idea behind taking in carbs post workout. I tend to not worry about getting both complex and simple carbs together, but rather allow myself to not worry about carb type after a workout, where as other times I would never choose simple carbs if I had the choice to make.

edorice

For the average person it's actually not necessary to eat immediately following a workout. The protein/carb thing after a workout for recovery is more for athletes. If you're not training to be an athlete then just eat when you're ready. In fact for HIIT sessions I've heard athletes shouldn't eat immediately following. Anyway the bottom line is unless you are trying to be a tenth of a second faster in a race or, in your sport of choice it doesn't matter if you eat directly following a workout.

No desire to be average.