Brian Shaw

For the majority of people who like to train hard there are few better feelings experienced than the one after an intense and rigorous workout. This is especially true when they know they have pushed themselves to their limits, have lifted till they can lift no more, broken personal bests and their muscles feel like they are crying out in pain in need of help to quickly repair! This last point is crucial as many personal fitness coach talked.

Any thorough and intense workout may not be reaching its maximum potential if what follows after is not up to scratch, post-workout nutrition.

When you know you have given 100% and more in the gym, you want to be confident you are giving 100% back to your muscles by supplying them with the correct nutrients immediate after allowing them optimum recovery to grow back both bigger and stronger.

Consuming the adequate nutrients within a thirty-minute window following your workout is the best and most critical time to ensure muscle synthesis.

So what are the most effective nutrients to include?

According to a recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, mix the following in your post-workout nutrition and get it down your neck immediately after your training to ensure you get the most benefits from lifting those heavy weights!

Mix Milk and Water

A question often asked is which liquid to mix with your powders; an easy answer is to combine both! Water is ideal for rehydrating you following any intense workout, whereas milk provides additional protein for muscle repair, plenty of calcium for bone strengthening and iodine to help regulate your metabolism.

Whey Protein

You are probably sick of seeing whey protein recommended immediately in your post-workout nutrition by now, nevertheless it is the most important nutrient you can provide to your starving muscles. Whey protein is the fasted digesting form of protein, meaning it is absorbed quicker than any other source to begin immediately on muscle recovery. It is also 100% bioavailable; hence, every gram gets to work at repairing muscles and does what it is supposed to do. Aim for 30 to 40g after training.

Creatine

Creatine is well documented and proven to supply your muscles with the energy required to lift heavier weights and squeeze out more repetitions. Although your body can produce it naturally from amino acids, creatine levels can rapidly deplete during periods of intense training. Therefore, it is important to replenish these levels immediately post-training, aim to consume to 5g in your post-workout shake.

Dextrose

Despite the debates, carbohydrates are important to include in your post-workout nutrition, this is perhaps the most crucial time of the day you should be consuming them. Simple carbs are useful in two ways after a workout. They are fast digesting hence provide you with almost instant energy enabling you to recover quickly and more importantly they create an insulin spike within your body which means other important nutrients (such as all the above) are supplied more quickly to your muscles for faster recovery. Dextrose has one of the highest GI values available, making it one of the fastest digesting carbohydrates available.