Post workout is when GAINS (size/strength/body composition) are made. During the workout, muscle fibers experience micro tears and post workout is when the body repairs those micro tears, forming stronger and larger muscles (depending on the type of training you just did).
If we don’t give our bodies the proper building blocks for repairing these damaged muscles, we are not only wasting our time in the gym, we are actually weakening our bodies. (PS drinking alcohol after physically exerting yourself is a TERRIBLE idea.)
RECOVERY is the name of the game for athletes and anyone else trying to make a body composition change (hello abs/gutes/lean muscles) and or get stronger (from competing in events to carrying your kids and groceries).
Nutrition can seem like a super complicated beast with tons of rules but it isn’t nearly as complicated as it sounds once you figure out some of the basics.
This is a great article on POST WORKOUT NUTRITION… the who/what/when/where/why/how.
http://articles.elitefts.com/nutrition/recovery-101-nutrition/
Back when I first started competing in physique competitions, I would spend about 6 hours per week cooking in bulk so I could make sure I had the right fuel on hand, but things have changed and I have a super busy schedule and am on the go most days of the week so having something to reach for that covers all the points in this article is a total game changer.
IsaLean Pro shakes have 36 grams of undenatured whey protein along with the casein protein, carbohydrates, and just enough fat to satisfy without significantly slowing down the absorption of the protein (building blocks).
For competitive athletes, the only thing I would add/change to just having an IsaLean Pro shake as post workout is taking in something higher in glucose since IsaLean shakes contain the slightly slower digesting fructose (NOT the bad kind). You WANT an insulin spike immediately following a workout because it primes your body to quickly shuttle the protein (building blocks) to your damaged muscles.
A couple natural sources of glucose would be dried fruit or honey. You don’t need much at all so don’t go overboard and undo all the hard work you have done. I see this alllllll the time… someone working out with a 32 ounce bottle of Gatorade next to them. That one bottle of Gatorade not only contains the same amount of calories you are burning during your workout, but it is LOADED with sugar which causes inflammation and inflammation is something to be avoided from your muscles to your brain.
Inflammation is bad and can stall recovery. Just another bonus of the IsaLean Pro Shakes… they help our bodies become more alkaline and less acidic… acid causes inflammation.
One more thing about the IsaLean shakes (regular and Pro) is that they contain active enzymes which are activated when mixed with water. (Drink your shake within 10 minutes so the enzymes will still be active when you consume them.) These active enzymes aid in the digestion of food, making the macronutrients (protein/carbs/fat) more easily digested.
All of this from one podcast I listened to the other day when the trainer recommended protein only as the post workout nutrition. Yes, protein is what the building blocks are BUT you need to consume it with carbohydrates to maximize absorption and maintain satiety.
