The Importance of Your Post Workout Meal

One of the most crucial meals you need to make sure you are getting is your post workout meal. After a tough workout, you have just depleted your body of its nutrition, fatigued it, torn muscle and now it needs to be properly fueled with nutrients immediately to start building repairs.

There are 3 issues that need to be addressed:

1) How much food?
2) How often?
3) What kinds of food?

Post workout, your body needs a meal with both carbohydrates and proteins. Why both? A carbohydrate breaks down to glucose, which is essentially sugar and “fast digesting” fuel. Proteins repair your muscle cells, but the carbohydrate molecule (glucose) binds with the protein which helps to deliver the protein to your bloodstream fast, thus being able to replenish lost nutrients due to intense exercise and repair fatigued muscles.

There are several arguments about food suggestions and what to have post workout meal. If you are trying to build and maintain muscle mass, a good rule of thumb is to double your carbohydrates to protein ratio. So if you have 20 grams of protein, you should pair it with 40 grams of carbohydrates, that’s a 2:1 ration. If you are just seeking to recover, stick to a 4:1 ratio, 4 parts carbs to 1 part protein.

Everyone is different and I cannot give you a definite caloric break down of exactly “how much” food you should have, I will tell you that it should be at least a couple hundred calories for a woman and at least double for a man.

You need to eat your post workout meal no later than 45 minutes after your workout; preferably sooner. If you can, 20- 30 minutes is better. Do not wait till you go home, do not try to wait to eat till later. Your body needs this fuel. Pack it with you and bring it to the gym. If your training is dialed and your metabolism is revved up, you will hungry again after your post workout meal and ready for your “actual meal” shortly after.

A whey protein powder is going to be best for a protein drink because it is already broken down simply and is fast digesting. A protein powder with casein in it is a slow digestive protein and will slow the absorption down, which is what you do not want to happen with your post workout meal. When choosing a carbohydrate, you want something that is fast digesting, like fruit, usually an apple or banana, even milk since it has lactose (which is a form of sugar).

Checkout my Glute and Shoulder workout followed by 4 of Jack Napoli’s amazing recepie's that make for a great post workout meal!

Pair this killer workout with one of the 4 recepies below and you are well on your way to improving you health and your physique!


Glute and Shoulder Workout

• 
  Warm up with standing kick backs 2 sets of 15 on each leg


• 
  Power squats on and off bench 10x 2 sets (bench should be between 6-8 risers high) rest 30-60seconds before 2nd set.


• 
  Power squats straddling bench 10x 2 sets bench should be between 6-8 risers high) rest 30-60seconds before 2nd set.


• 
  Single leg dead with cable 3x10 (lighten your load and go slow!) ss with upright rows with cable or smith 4x 10


• 
  Single leg squat with cable 10x10x15 ss with “Y” raises w/ EZ bar 15x3


• 
  Seated Arnold presses 20x16x12 ss with dumbbell lateral raises 20x16x12 (No rests here!)

Healthy Recipes by Jack Napoli

Post Work Out Breakfast in "True Karra Fashion"

4 Carbohydrates and 1 Protein:

Oatmeal Breakfast:

1/4 c. Oatmeal – Microwavable is Fine,

1/4 c. Water – add more water if you need

1/2 Apple Cubed

1/4 c. Blueberries

1/4 c. Strawberries

1 tsp Peanut Butter or your favorite Nut Butter like Almond.

1/8 tsp. cinnamon or to taste – I use two Tablespoons because I like the taste – use cinnamon not cinnamon sugar

*Alternatives*

Carbohydrate Substitute:

Any combination of your favorite Fruit like:

Banana’s, Blackberries, Peaches etc.

Protein Substitutes:

Add a scoop of Protein Powder after you Cook the Oatmeal

or

1/8 c Pecans, almonds, or walnuts.

Flax Seed

I’m watching my Cholesterol so I add 2 Tablespoons of Ground Flax Seed. Make sure you use Ground the Flax Seed not whole. Our bodies have a hard time digesting Whole Flax seeds. To maximize their Cholesterol Fighting properties you should Grind the seeds or buy it already Ground.

1. Put the Oatmeal in a Bowl,

2. Add the Cinnamon and Mix,

3. Cube the Apple add to the Oatmeal with your other Fruit

4. Microwave for 1 and ½ minutes or until Cooked to your liking.

5. Remove from the Microwave,

6. Add the Peanut Butter and Stir until well mixed,

7. If it is too sticky add a little more water,

8. You can also add a Tablespoon of Yogurt or a Dash of Nonfat Milk.

Energy Bar Recipe (Lara Bar Like):

Here are a few different recipes:

Very Cherry:

1/4 c. dates,

1/4 c. dried cherries or cranberries,

1/3 c. whole pecans,

almonds, or walnuts,

1/8 tsp. cinnamon

Cashew Cookie Dough:

1/3 c. dates,

1/2 c. raw cashews Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough:

1/3 c. dates,

1/2 c. raw cashews,

1/2 tsp.vanilla extract,

pinch of cinnamon,

1/2 oz. finely chopped semisweet chocolate

Blueberry Bliss:

1/4 c. dried blueberries,

1/4 c. dates,

1/3 c. almonds,

1/2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest,

1 drop almond extract

*Note: Make sure to use roughly chopped whole dates, not pre-chopped for these recipes.

1. Lay two pieces of plastic wrap on counter.

2. Place fruit in food processor and pulse until it has a paste-like texture.

3. Transfer to a medium bowl.4. Add nuts to food processor and pulse until finely chopped.

5. Add nuts to bowl with the fruit.

6. Add all other ingredients.

7. Use fingers to knead into a paste.8. Divide mixture in half.

9. Place each half on plastic wrap.

10. Wrap plastic around mixture and form into a bar shape.

11. Wrap tightly in plastic and store in the refrigerator.

12. Makes 2 bars.

I Quadruple the Energy Bar Recipe when I’m making it. That way I have enough for a about two weeks. I break off about a 2 OZ. Chunk for each post work out snack.

Enjoy!