I’m just going to say it like it is: If you don’t ingest post workout recovery fuel within 30 minutes after training—you may as well have stayed home and couch potato-ed it. BAM.
I’ve always been mystified by the fact that people train like rock stars and then not refuel afterwards. Not refueling is much like going to the hospital to have your life saved…and then they feed you jello…which, in this fitness nerd’s opinion, CAN kill you.
Train your ass off in an elite way at the Sweat Shoppe, and then not eating anything afterwards — what will happen is you will hold on to fat, and deplete muscle, and not make any real gains, feel like crap and get chubby. For real.
Not fueling immediately after you workout totally defeats the purpose of working out. Let’s see how many ways I can say this.
See that little tire growing around your waist no matter how much you work out? Think of it like the floating mass of plastic in the Pacific Ocean which is the size of Texas. The ocean does not have the chemistry to break down that plastic. Well, same for the tire around your waist. That is simply “food” and food waste which your body does not have the capacity to break down—either biochemically, or because it does not have enough fuel in the furnace to burn it. There is only one way to burn that off, workout AND feed the furnace (your body) with the right fuel.
You have to fuel the fire to break down that fat. Energy output, energy input. You don’t eat after you train, you give yourself no fuel, your body will hang on to fat and eat muscle.
Don’t hold this against me: Girls, I know you are not eating after working out because you think you will be thinner. Actually, this will make you hold on to fat.
A couple years ago I had the great fortune to become friends and colleagues with Anita Richesson, former Olympic Medalist Swimmer and a maverick nutritionist who creates optimal fueling programs for NFL and UFC Athletes and Olympians. We had hours of geeky conversations about optimal fueling, and always post-workout nutrition was the most interesting, most important and we felt, the most misunderstood aspect of training. Why, because fueling after training IS training. You can’t separate fueling from training.
The basic idea about training nutrition is:
- The body deals with nutrients differently at different times, depending on activity.
- What you consume before, during, and especially after your workout is important.
- By consuming particular nutrients after your workouts (aka post-workout nutrition), you improve your body composition, performance, and overall recovery.
Richesson always recommends her elite athletes stay away from the whites: Processed dairy, flour and sugar. And she recommends a shake after training because it is instantly absorbed in the body when it needs to be absorbed most.
She taught my son, Eben Britton, starting tight end for the Chicago Bears who has to eat close to 9,000 CLEAN calories a day, to pay attention to the timing of the fuel consumption, particularly that post workout shake. Optimal muscle mass, endurance capacity, and overall health is the result of well-timed fueling says Britton.
“Despite all those calories I have extremely low body fat and extremely springy and strong muscles—even though I weigh 312 lbs. I train twice daily, and ALWAYS have a recovery shake immediately post workout,” says the Britton.
Why?
- Replenish energy stores—or glycogen
- Increase muscle size, lean-ness and/or muscle quality—protein synthesis.
- Repair any damage caused by the workout—decrease protein loss and fat increase.
- Less muscle soreness
- Increased ability to build muscle
- Improved immune function
- Improved bone mass
- Improved ability to utilize body fat
Endurance athletes, yes, you you cyclist you.
Protein (muscle) breakdown goes up in endurance athletes—runners, cyclists, swimmers. Protein (muscle) repair or synthesis goes down. In otherwords, for those of us who are cycling in a hot room, the natural tendency is for the body to hold on to fat as fuel and use muscle because proteins, which muscle is made of, is the elite fuel.
Studies show that retaining fat can be reversed if you consume the right nutrients after your workout. The right nutrients include: Protein, a small amount of carbs, branch chain amino acids, L-glutamin and glycine.
Your post workout nutrition signals the body that it is time to rebuild lean muscle. The window is 30 minutes post workout. As soon as you get off the bike, or drop the resistance tubing in Hybrid Sweat, you need to refuel.
THERE IS A 30 MINUTE WINDOW. ARE YOU LISTENING?
Here are some suggestions for post workout fueling:
Britton’s Lean Machine Post Workout Shake:
1 1/2 cups of coconut/hemp or almond milk
20/30 grams or two scoops of casein free protein powder (check that the powder contains L glutamine, glycine, potassium, magnesium and calcium).
1 tbsp of almond butter or ¼ avocado
½ banana (blueberries or strawberries)
2 tbsp oats (if you want to lean down, skip the oats)
Throw in a few ice cubs and blend well
Richesson’s Recovery Food Options (not to replace a meal later)
Apple & Almond Butter
Banana & Handful of Almonds
Hard boiled egg and ½ apple or grapefruit
A fist sized portion of clean protein (tuna, salmon, lentils, chicken or turkey) and a palm sized portion of fibrous carbs (broccoli, asparagus, greens)
Prepared Shakes and Bars
There are tons of great on-the-go post-workout fuel options.
Rule of thumb: 20-30 grams of protein at least (Richesson recommends casein free)
To increase muscle mass: High carbs-18 to 30 grams or more
To lean down: Low carbs-4 grams or less
*Look for products that contain glucose, not fructose for the sugar. Fructose is difficult for the body to break down.
Remember, if you want to keep on the lean side, you do not need starchy carbohydrates at night: EVER. Keep these for your morning meal or lunch meal. If you workout early in the morning, e.g. coming to get a full body workout in Hybrid Sweat, DO put the oats in your shake. You’ll have crazy energy all day, you hot room lean machine you.
Written By Sweat Shoppe Instructor, Abbie Britton