If you spend any significant amount of time reading bodybuilding magazines and books, or perusing online forums dedicated to physique athletes, the importance of post-workout nutrition is apparent. If you want to get big, the common wisdom states eat big. If you want to get really big, fast, eat big right after you work out.
Post-Workout Window
John Berardi, Ph.D, a certified nutritionist and bodybuilding coach, reinforces the value of the 90-minute window post-workout for nutrition intake. In a Bodybuilding.com article titled "The Unlikely Scientist," Berardi points out that this window of opportunity is critical for three basic reasons post-workout: the depletion of intramuscular glycogen stores, the increase in the breakdown of muscular protein fibers, and a negative nitrogen balance in the muscle chemistry.
Glycogen Restoration
Glycogen is the stored sugar in muscle cells that provides the energy needed for muscles to contract. As you exercise, these stores are burned off. According to Berardi's article, "Low glycogen stores mean that there's less cellular energy for daily life and certainly less energy for subsequent workouts." Additionally, Mauro DiPasquale, Ph.D, in his book "The Anabolic Solution for Bodybuilders," points out that high levels of glycogen stored in the muscle cells actually "fills" the intramuscular space, leading to a larger-looking muscle. Consume carbohydrates in your post-workout meals to restore glycogen levels.
Protein Breakdown and Recovery
Lifting weights causes microscopic tears in individual muscle fibers as the cells exceed their previous strength. These "micro-tears" as DiPasquale points out, are then repaired through the introduction of dietary protein into the system, leading to larger, stronger muscles. This is the foundation of bodybuilding nutrition. Eat more protein if you want to gain larger muscles as a result of your bodybuilding exercises. The breakdown of dietary protein into individual amino acids during digestion allows the body to shuttle the amino acids to the locations they are needed to reconstruct individual muscle cells and fibers.
Importance of Nitrogen Balance
Berardi points out that it is critical to maintain a positive nitrogen balance in order to facilitate the reconstruction of muscle tissue. Failing to maintain or rebuild a positive nitrogen balance immediately following a strenuous bodybuilding workout can lead to muscle soreness, poor performance, overtraining and stagnation of muscle growth. He says that these are "often very much a reality for the average athlete, and their valiant gym efforts could become frustrating and seem fruitless."
While the body will eventually return to a neutral nitrogen balance even if you mess up your post-workout nutrition, by ingesting appropriate nutrients within the 90-minute window, you can hasten this effect, leading to faster recovery and gains.
Putting It All Together
Berardi and DiPasquale both cite the importance of consuming rapid-digesting nutrition immediately following your workout. The suggested macronutrient ratio for a post-workout shake, according to DiPasquale, is a 2:1 ratio of simple carbs or sugars to protein. A whey protein based nutrition shake with milk or juice can provide this balance. Since the shake is easy to drink, you can consume it rapidly post-workout, ensuring that you receive your nutrients in the allotted 90-minute window.
References
- "The Unlikely Scientist;" John Berardi, Ph.D, RD
- "Anabolic Solution for Bodybuilders;" Mauro DiPasquale, PhD; 2002
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