Eating after a workout

[Chris_Ed]

Hello everyone,

I have a small yet perfectly formed question regarding eating after training, and if anyone can help that would be greatly appreciated.

Basically, when I return home from class I typically have a proper main meal. This in itself isn't a problem, but normally I eat it and then because it's late I go straight to bed. Is this advisable?

Also, someone once told me that I should avoid eating or drinking anything other than water for a full hour after finishing a workout. Is this true, or just an old wive's tale?

Thanks again! Osu!

[hasbeen]

OSU CHRIS ED!!

the namby pamby brigade will say don`t eat a main meal and go to bed..o.k it`s not ideal but if this is the only chance you get to eat do so.

as for the don`t eat or drink anything for an hour afterwards, i used to go straight into the pub after some sessions and some of my drinking buddy`s were regulars in the england/great britain bkk team...again the p.c brigade would say unacceptable but everybody is different and bodies react differently.

my advise would be if you are feeling o.k doing what you are doing i would just carry on!!................just my opinion though. osu!!

[Chris_Ed]

Osu, hasbeen!

Thanks for the thoughts. Yeah I don't feel rough or bloated in the morning or anything. I will continue doing as I have been doing, then! Thanks!

OSU!

[mary222]

in a ideal situation it is best to have a recovery drink, such as gatorade or even better a drink that provide carbs and protein immediatelly after trainning and then 2 hours after a meal with a lots of carbs like a pasta dishes.

[Dent]

Osu!

I'm with H on this one. Feed the machine. Nothing worse than gapping your meals and trying to rebuild post workout. Your body will feed off itself to get the nutrients.

Osu!

[MilkManX]

I end up eating after my Monday,Thursday and Saturday workout. Its about 30 minutes afterwards but man am I hungry. Now I dont go to bed for a few more hours after that but I try not to over eat even though I feel so hungry so I eat slower so my brain and stomach can synch up.

[Martin H]

Eating late at night is far from ideal, and a good method to put on unwanted weight. But if the alternative is to go to bed without eating and force your body recycle muscle mass for nutrients, that is far worse.

The ideal situation would be to eat proper a couple of hours before class and just take something very light when you get home (a sandwich or a fruit).
But if that is not an option, you got to go with the choices you have.
And eating late is better than not eating at all.

[Chris_Ed]

Thanks for the responses, everyone! Osu!

Martin, that's a great idea - I think I'll start eating my larger meals at midday, then a snack before training (hooray for bananas) followed by something light afterwards.

Thanks again everyone. Osu!

[Dent]

Osu!

If you're following that plan, Chris_Ed, then I suggest a shake of the protein variety.

Osu!

[seienchin]

I'd chip in and add that post-exercise, if you need to be able to "go" again the next day, you need to replenish muscle glycogen. That means 1g of carbohydrate per kg of body weight. Protein is less important post exercise - provided of course that your daily intake of protein is adequate, but it won't do any harm. Just don't sacrifice post-exercise carbohydrates for the sake of post-exercise protein.

[mary222]

osu seienchin !
after each trainning session a have a fruit shake spike with protein powder or an egg. and if i dont have to much time for a meal after i'll have cottage cheese with fruit.

[tmd]

Originally Posted by Chris_Ed

Thanks for the responses, everyone! Osu!

Martin, that's a great idea - I think I'll start eating my larger meals at midday, then a snack before training (hooray for bananas) followed by something light afterwards.

Thanks again everyone. Osu!

This would be ideal, also ala Dent I would recommend some Protein post work out - I usually eat a tin of Sardines or similar post work out - if you have to eat a big meal you can always spend a few hours on the K4L board to allow it time to digest

[Dent]

Osu!

Originally Posted by tmd

This would be ideal, also ala Dent I would recommend some Protein post work out - I usually eat a tin of Sardines or similar post work out - if you have to eat a big meal you can always spend a few hours on the K4L board to allow it time to digest

A tin of sardines after training? A man after my own heart!

Osu!

[Paedde]

Originally Posted by seienchin

I'd chip in and add that post-exercise, if you need to be able to "go" again the next day, you need to replenish muscle glycogen. That means 1g of carbohydrate per kg of body weight. Protein is less important post exercise - provided of course that your daily intake of protein is adequate, but it won't do any harm. Just don't sacrifice post-exercise carbohydrates for the sake of post-exercise protein.

Osu, I can agree with most of the answer, but I would recommend to also use Protein because otherwise the muscle protein will be used to fill up the depleted stores. I think it should be no problem to mix both (about 1g per kg as seienchin recommended and maybe 0.5g per kg Protein)

Osu

[sokaiya]

Originally Posted by Chris_Ed

Also, someone once told me that I should avoid eating or drinking anything other than water for a full hour after finishing a workout. Is this true, or just an old wive's tale?

Arnold Schwarzenegger said the same thing. He said something along the lines of your body needing to recover before eating and drinking or it would be a complete waste of a meal.

[Paedde]

Originally Posted by sokaiya

Arnold Schwarzenegger said the same thing. He said something along the lines of your body needing to recover before eating and drinking or it would be a complete waste of a meal.

I can't agree with that. After a workout, the body needs the nutrients to recover from it, if you don't eat something, your body will use protein and glyocgen from your muscles and that's (most of the time) not what you want.

[seienchin]

Originally Posted by Paedde

I can't agree with that. After a workout, the body needs the nutrients to recover from it, if you don't eat something, your body will use protein and glyocgen from your muscles and that's (most of the time) not what you want.

'

Yeah - I'm with Paedde on that one. when I read the Schwarzenegger quote, I was about to post the "1 g per kg within 1 hour" rule...and then realised I already had... Amensia...old age...whatever. Paedde and I disagree with the quote as attributed to the Gubernator.

[Dent]

Osu!

I think the Ah-nold quote is old, and based on old information. We know far more about how the body works now than we did during his hey-day.

As quotes go, I do like this one of his... " Money doesn't make you happy. I now have $50 million but I was just as happy when I had $48 million."
-Arnold Schwarzenegger-

Osu!