Remember….We eat not just for today but for the day after tomorrow and beyond.
What you eat days up to your exercise session will dictate how you will feel, your exercise intensity level, how your body will react to the stress of exercise and how you will recover from the exercise session.
You will need to determine the ideal amount of food that you should consume in the days before and immediately before your exercise session so that when you are exercising you are not starving, not too full or “bonking out”. The ideal amount of food that you will consume will maximize your training benefits.
Before workout you need to consume 25 grams of protein, at least ½ hour before. Preferable a Whey, Egg or Beef protein shake.
The State of your Muscles Post –Exercise
- Depleted glycogen stores
- Dehydrated
- Elevated levels of the catabolic hormone cortisol
- Elevated level of free radicals
- And as a result of the above a compromised immune system
**If you do not eat properly or if you over- train or over- reach your body is being put under excessive stress and this will also affect your ability to recover. The signs of this are:
- Ringing in the ears
- Sudden headache
- Spots or squiggle lines in front of eyes
- Blood sugar drop- feeling nauseated and cold chills
- Shaking of muscles
- Feeling exhausted –
- You should feel like you could of done more when you are
- done with your exercise session, especially a strength training session
After Exercise you need to:
- Replace Muscle glycogen (sugar)
- Reduce Cortisol Levels
- Minimize Muscle damage
There is a window of opportunity to help replenish the muscles and to aid in recovery from the exercise session for maximum benefits.
The Window of Opportunity to maximize the training benefit with Post Exercise nutrition after training peaks in 15 minutes.
To maximize the training benefit with Post Exercise nutrition:
- You have to replenish your body with optimal amounts of carbohydrates and Proteins within a 15 minute window after training
There are specific ratios of carbohydrates to Protein that need to be consumed in a quick acting, quick absorbed form to replenish the muscles and metabolism immediately Post- Training.
- A Post- Training Carbohydrate and Protein shake works extremely well for this.
- The total calories should be between 300-600 calories depending on body fat %, duration of the training session, etc.
The Carbohydrate to Protein ratio should be:
- Endurance Aerobic Training – 4:1 Carbs to Protein
- Team Sports – 3:1 Carbs to Protein
- Resistance Training – 2:1 Carbs to Protein
The ratios can also be dependent on Body Fat %, fitness levels and intensity of the exercise session
*Your trainer will adjust your ratios accordingly
Very Important: You must consume the required Carbohydrates and Protein within the 15 minute window.
- If you do not consume your Post exercise nutrition within the 15 minutes window your muscles “turn-off”.
Then Insulin Resistance occurs for 7-8 hours after you exercise.
This means that whatever you eat during that time will be converted to and stored as body fat!