The Post Workout Meal


 
Being a personal trainer, I am often times preaching the importance of a quality post workout meal. Why is a post workout meal important? What are the benefits? Let's take a look.

 
When we work out we are causing micro tears in are muscle fibers. We are putting our muscles under a load which in turn is causing the muscles to break down and become catabolic. In order for these muscles to respond from exercise and become stronger and recover, it's important that we infuse the muscle with protein and carbohydrate, and most importantly post-workout.

 
The protein is important in that is going to help with growing, maintaining and rebuilding the muscle tissue. The carbohydrate is going to be important in that it's going to replenish the glycogen supply that was lost during exercise. Additionally, carbohydrate post workout is going to help stimulate the secretion of insulin which in turn will deliver the nutrients from the post workout meal into the muscles most rapidly.

 
Since during exercise the blood is going to be in our muscles it's a good idea to incorporate the post-workout meal as a liquid or shake. That way blood isn't needed in the digestive tract to break down the post-workout meal and assimilate. So add a post-workout shake to your work out and see the benefits.