Do you have protien after cardio?

RachelH25

I know its good to have some protien after a strength workout to help your body rebuild its muscle. What about cardio? Any reason after a run?

pmich08

I do some days, if I feel I ran really hard, or sometimes because I need to hit calories but can't really eat after a hard run.

tinamina78

I believe that for cardio, it's good to have something that gives your body immediate energy. Sugars & carbs in foods that are easly broken down work best. Stuff like chocolate milk, bananas or yogurt right after your run are really good to keep you going. I usually have lean protein a few hours later, or with dinner. But I think it's what works best for your body, really. Mess around with it and see what keeps you going best!

Srbrosseau

You definitely need protein after a run/cardio. However, you'll need a little less than after a strength training session. After a 20-25 mile run, I generally take 6 TBSPs of twinlab liquid amino. That's 30g of protein which is probably more than I need, but it also helps get my blood sugar back up.

Hope this helps!
Sean

Raf702

I know its good to have some protien after a strength workout to help your body rebuild its muscle. What about cardio? Any reason after a run?

Depends on the intensity of your cardio session. Regardless I would still take protein powder, speaking for myself. Because you've lost nutrients during your exercise. And you still want to hit your daily macro-nutrients(carbs/fats/protein). But overall you've burned calories period. And you want to replenish your body with more nutrients that were lost. So if taking a protein supplement is going to keep you within your daily protein allowance, by all means utilize it. If it will cause you to go over, then it's not necessary. But most importantly if your consuming enough protein through solid foods through out the day even with exercise you won't need to add a protein supplement. I personally take protein powder daily, regardless if I exercise or not. I always make sure that I hit my protein allowance for the day. Taking a protein powder is personal preference, do you want something that's convenient and can be consumed easily. Or do you want to eat a solid food that takes chewing and preparation. Even though both will give you the same essential nutrient(protein).

ninerbuff

I eat a solid meal within 30-45 minutes of any workout, and I haven't seen any studies to having it immediately after cardio having a better effect.

PB67

As long as you are hitting your calorie and macronutrient targets for the day, it won't make a whit of difference.