0
Your Cart
No items found.
Product is not available in this quantity.
Your post workout nutrition is key for many different fitness goals, whether your goals are to build muscle, improve endurance or get stronger. Nutrition is at the core of recovery, helping your muscles to repair and replenish your energy stores. This guide will break down some of the best practices you can implement right away to improve your post-workout nutrition.
One of the best strategies for your post-workout nutrition is implementing the 30-90 method, which emphasises breaking your nutrition into two different stages.
Within 30 minutes of completing your workout, the focus is on rehydration and kick starting the recovery process.
Some of the common pitfalls within 30 minutes of your workout finishing include not prioritising hydration, rushing into heavy meals too quickly and failing to give your body the time to absorb nutrients. You should therefore make sure that you prioritise liquids for faster absorption and keep it simple.
During exercise there is a shift of where blood is directed (called vascular shunt). This moves blood to priority areas such as the working muscles, the brain and lungs and away from the reproductive system and the gut. Trying to eat a large meal in the immediate period following exercise can cause GI issues.
To counteract this focus on a liquid based solution of water or water with electrolytes to replenish lost fluids. Take some time to calm down and recover as best as possible also.
Adding protein to this may be beneficial if you are not going to be able to eat a solid meal within the next 90 minutes. Adding carbohydrates in is only needed if you have a subsequent session within 12 hours or you struggle to consume your daily carbohydrate allowance.
90 minutes post workout your strategy should be solid nutrition to help sustain recovery over the next few hours. Focus on a nutrient dense, balanced meal which combines all three macronutrients for optimal recovery. Add in fruits and vegetables too for added micronutrients.
Avoid delaying the intake of your meal and ensure that you don’t opt for low quality or processed foods. A common mistake is also that some people skip this meal altogether, which can be detrimental to recovery. As a key principle, make sure that this 90 minute post workout meal is macro balanced, with higher carbs if it was particularly intense.
Bear in mind that protein shakes are mainly a convenience factor, and they themselves are not essential for recovery. They can be particularly useful if you train in a fasted state, have slow recovery or if you find it difficult to hit your daily protein target. Opt for a whey protein or plant protein post workout as these are fast absorbed, and a casein protein before bed for slower absorption.
Hydration is something that is often overlooked, in and around training. It has a huge effect on recovery. Whilst water alone might be manageable for lighter workouts, for more intense workouts you may want to consider adding an electrolyte powder to replace lost sodium and other minerals, prevent dehydration which can majorly impair your recovery, and support muscle repair and nerve function.
In short, don’t neglect your hydration! Support it pre, during and post workout to maximise your body’s recovery processes.
Carbohydrates play an extremely important role in post workout recovery, replenishing your glycogen stores which you depleted during exercise. This becomes especially important if you have trained for over two hours or are preparing for another session later in the day or within 24 hours.
Similarly, protein intake post workout is extremely important for repairing damaged muscle fibres (damage includes microtears) and promoting growth.
The anabolic window is the idea that post workout there is a short window in which consuming nutrition will have a more significant effect on recovery and muscle growth. Sometimes called a myth, we can confirm that the anabolic window is not a myth; it is however, more flexible than previously thought (Ref). Whilst immediate intake of carbs and protein after a workout definitely has its benefits, the main thing is to ensure your overall daily intake is optimal.
Focus on carbohydrate replenishment in the post workout period if your training volume is high, and adequate protein consumption across all meals. For most people, hitting their macronutrient target for the day matters more than timing. However, for people or athletes with back to back sessions, prioritising post workout intake becomes more essential.
Example Meal Plan for Post Workout Nutrition
Here are some balanced meal ideas for you to have within 90 minutes post-workout (based on the 30-90 rule).
Morning Options (Post Workout Breakfast)
Lunch/Dinner/Afternoon Options
Remember, with post workout nutrition, or all nutrition for that matter, the key is consistency. Whilst things like timing and nutrient quality do matter, what you eat over the course of the entire day is far more important. By implementing the 30-90 method and building a more balanced and sustainable post-workout nutrition routine, you’ll recover better and faster, allowing you to make more progress in less time.
If you’re looking for some supplements to further improve your recovery, be sure to check out our protein powders and recovery supplements.
