Protein After Late Workout?

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p1nkpr1ncess
p1nkpr1ncess Posts: 254 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi everyone!

I usually workout in a morning or around lunch time and have a protein shake straight after but now and again I workout after my dinner around 7pm if I haven't managed to fit anything in that day. Should I still have my shake after a workout that late if I go to bed around 10pm? Or would it be bad to go to sleep after consuming a shake?

I usually don't eat after my dinner so consuming calories before bed seems a strange one for me - I just wondered what everyone else did?
-x-x-

Replies

  • fitnesscalv
    fitnesscalv Posts: 15 Member
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    It's always good to have protein after a workout regardless of when it is, especially if you are doing resistance training.

    I always have one in the evening as an evening snack, try having water instead of milk in the shake to limit carbs if right before bed. Your body repairs muscle over night so the extra intake of protein at that time could be of benefit.
  • LOVINLIFEGUY
    LOVINLIFEGUY Posts: 47
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    Having a shake before bed is one of the best times to take in protein. I would not think twice about it. I take a double scoop before bed.
  • happy_jax
    happy_jax Posts: 289 Member
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    I am sure this is obvious...but just to mention...while I agree 100% with the other posts that it's a great time to take a protein shake, just before bed - a lot of the more women-specific/weight-loss specific shakes have a high caffine content as well as protein (not great before bed!!)

    I use Maxitone Sculptress shakes if I can have it before 7pm - but if I end up finishing my workout later, I usually steal some of my boyfriends more generic shake without the added caffine otherwise I'm a live-wire until the early hours!
  • p1nkpr1ncess
    p1nkpr1ncess Posts: 254 Member
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    Thanks for the replies! Really glad to hear that it would be a good idea to have the shake before bed!

    We have the general Optimum Health protein powder that me and my partner share so I don't think the caffeine is too high (thanks for mentioning that though! I will double check on the label when I get home!)

    Looking forwards to my workout later :)

    Thanks again everyone!!
    -x-x-
  • Kmill217
    Kmill217 Posts: 204
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    lol ON protein has ZERO caffeine. I've never heard of caffeine and protein together. If my memory serves me correct, I thought receptors in our body would only absorb one of the compounds, either protein or caffeine. Or maybe that was creatine....eh...either way....

    milk before bed isn't bad at all. It isn't ideal however either.

    If you can find a good casseinate protein, I'd mix this with a isolate protein mix. Your gonna have great muscle recovery all night long.....if you just did cardio, i'd limit it to just a quick acting protein...cottage cheese w/ nuts is the best pre-bed time snack if your just maintaining because it digests slowly and delivers nutrients to your body all night.
  • chaudhry
    chaudhry Posts: 4 Member
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    If you did aerobic or cardio exce, for 30 mins then try not to take the protein, as your body will be forced to use fat reserves as energy while you sleep, but drink atleast 1 ltr of water.

    If you did anaerobic exce, like strength training, and it was for 30 minutes plus duration then better you take the protein's which are the "casein" type rather then fast acting isolate or isolate blends, as the casein type are more slow digesting and would slowly get into your blood streem.

    I do strength training early morning, and keep a 20 min boxing punching bag activity late in the night after all my meals and then hit the bed, and in the morning hunger wakes me up. I take a banana and about 35 grams of protein and hit the gym.
  • jkohan
    jkohan Posts: 184 Member
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    Bolthouse Farms Purely Protein Chocolate Milk. :)

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