Is Post Workout Nutrition Important For Beginners
To do my best to stay true to my audience, people that are starting their fitness journey. Once, we get into the subject of post-workout nutrition, highly scientific terms like a metabolic window. Utilizing the post-workout time frame through food intake to switch your body from a catabolic state to an anabolic state. There have been great debates within the science world on this matter. Depending on where you are in the beginning process, these concepts could have crossed your path already. You could be wondering whether the metabolic window is beneficial for you.
The metabolic window is the first 15 to 30 minutes after your workout and can last up to 48 hours after the workout. During that time, there is a spike in activity within the metabolic pathways in your body. That is where we get the catabolic state and the possibility to switch it to anabolic. Catabolic is the scientific term for breaking something down, and anabolic is the opposite.
Assuming we all know for growth to occur in the muscle, the muscle must undergo a reasonable amount of stress or load. During that training load, fibers of the muscle tear off or split (catabolism), causing muscle soreness (when done correctly). That process eventually leads to gains (muscle growth) after a period of recovery (anabolism) between two to four days. Mainly in your first year of consistent resistance training, the metabolic window is not of great importance, even though some newer studies have proved this window to not be of any additional benefit at all.
I tend to favor the metabolic window from personal experience. Given that the “most” important macronutrients, regardless of your target, either gain lean muscle mass or lose excess fat, protein, protein, and protein. Now, on no account am I undermining the importance of the other two macros: carbohydrates, and certain fats, because they play their roles also. However, protein is the key, making sure your overall protein intake is around 1 gram per pound or 2.2g per kilogram per day. That is the baseline before the metabolic window could be of any benefit.
To put it clearly, it is about your overall intake period. Whether it is your first day on this amazing journey or you’re a seasoned warrior who hit your numbers day after day. Doing so assures your success in the long term, and that is the game of life! For a bonus here, to all my readers that aspire for your greatness within. The metabolic window help spend up recovery time for the next workout! Because 1g per pound or 2.2g per kg is the baseline, meaning we can surpass that to unlock added advantages naturally.
From my personal in the NFL, all Americans know the NFL is top-of-the-line professional. They know their stuff to keep athletes going faster, stronger and better is their top priority. The window is a timeline stating we have up until 4 hours post-workout to halt catabolic effects and kick start anabolism. The optimal time is between 0-30 minutes post-workout, after which the beneficial effects drastically drop from there. So, after each session and during training camp, there were days of three and four training a day, and personnel of the training staff was immediately handing us protein and electrolyte drinks. Trust me, I was a skeptic too until I was laid out with IVs in my arms because my entire body shut down.
Live life free and stay fit!
J’Nathan Bullock CSCS