which rule do I follow?

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dmags
dmags Posts: 303
in Fitness and Exercise
There are few nights a week that I have no choice but to work out at 10pm and go to bed soon after. I have read you should eat protein right after work out. I also read that it is best not to eat before bed. So what do I do? How important is it to eat after working out? Tonight I just had a piece of cheese... HELP! I don' t know what to do!

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  • Nich0le
    Nich0le Posts: 2,906 Member
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    the time of day you eat is not a problem as long as you stay in your calorie target. It is a myth that eating before bed will make you any fatter than stopping at a certain time. If you want an easy after workout fix low fat or skim chocolate milk is one of the best ways to recover.
  • eliseswietek
    eliseswietek Posts: 17
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    You could always have a whey protein shake mixed with water instead of milk. They are usually pretty low in calories and have no fat!!!! That way you are getting your protein but aren't consuming unnecessary night time calories!
  • Skate_48
    Skate_48 Posts: 6
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    A calorie is a calorie, it doesn't matter when you eat it. Just because you eat right before bed doesn't make the calories do anything different than what happens to them when you eat them in the morning. The problem is that people who snack before bed (in the general public but probably not the people on MFP) have already ate all the calories they need for that day and they are just packing more in. Eating a little before bed can actually keep your metabolism up while you are fasting over night.
  • Nich0le
    Nich0le Posts: 2,906 Member
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    Just wanted to add this info. You should try to eat as soon as possible to help recover quicker, ideally within 45 minutes post workout. The following are some good suggestions to give you a basic idea what good recovery foods are for all types of exercise. I can tell you there is a lot of good in a glass of chocolate milk, it has everything you need without guilt, I will just say when I am done with a workout and not particularly hungry or its late I find that a quick glass of chocolate milk goes a long way, sometimes I add an apple to the mix.


    What Should I Eat After a Workout (And How Much)?
    Though guidelines vary based on your weight and goals, if you expect to have a meal within the next couple of hours, still eat something right away, but keep your post-workout snack below 200 calories (300 is acceptable for bodybuilders). Here are some specific suggestions that can be had at that range:

    •Chocolate milk
    •Trail mix (you can make your own by combining a handful of nuts and dried fruit)
    •English muffin with peanut butter
    •Nutrition bar like Clif or Luna
    •Fruit and yogurt
    •Roast beef or turkey sandwich
    •Shake or smoothie (blend your own to avoid high sugar and calorie counts, or opt for a high-nutrient, low-calorie option like SlimFast)
    •Sliced apple with peanut butter or a cheese stick


    Read more at Suite101: What to Eat Post-Workout: The Healthy Way to Refuel http://nutrition.suite101.com/article.cfm/what_to_eat_postworkout#ixzz0jAY86mlt
  • aareeyesee
    aareeyesee Posts: 65 Member
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    Therefore, by consuming a large amount of carbohydrates, you will promote a large insulin release, increase glycogen storage, and increase protein repair. Research has shown that a carbohydrate intake of 0.8 to 1.2 grams per 1 kilogram of body weight maximizes glycogen synthesis and accelerates protein repair. However, unless you've had a very long, intense workout, 1.2g/kg may be a bit excessive as excess carbohydrate can be converted to bodyfat.

    Therefore I recommend 0.8g of carbohydrate per 1 kilogram of body weight for speeding up muscle carbohydrate replenishment while preventing excess fat gain (van Loon et al 2000a).

    In addition, since muscle protein is degraded during exercise, the addition of a relatively large amount of protein to your post exercise meal is necessary to help rebuild the structural aspects of the muscle. After exercise, the body decreases its rate of protein synthesis and increases its rate of protein breakdown. However, the provision of protein and amino acid solutions has been shown to reverse this trend, increasing protein synthesis and decreasing protein breakdown.

    Researchers have used anywhere from 0.2g - 0.4g of protein per 1 kilogram of body weight to demonstrate the effectiveness of adding protein to a post-workout carbohydrate drink (van Loon et al 2000b, Roy et al 1998). As an increased consumption of the essential amino acids may lead to a more positive protein balance, 0.4g/kg may be better than 0.2g/kg.

    Taken from http://bodybuilding.com/fun/berardi4.htm That is the quickest and easiest article and it coincides with other research I have done on that topic. If you go to Google Scholar and type in "post exercise nutrition" or similar phrases you will get lots of good information.

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