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I'm working on dropping bf again. Question: If I am trying to restrict calories, and I ate my limit during the day, should I skip the post workout whey shake? Its a difference of 150 cals.
post workout nutrition?
- Thread starter VeggieLifterChick
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Gladiola
New member
I'm not certain, but I think it may somewhat depend on the intensity of your workout. I.E. if it was a REALLY hard workout where you really depleted your glycogen stores, you might want to eat to replenish your stores so your body will be more ready for tomorrow's workout. Maybe have half the shake.
If the workout was fairly intense, but didn't leave you totally spent, you might be fine to forgo the shake on occasion.
If the workout was fairly intense, but didn't leave you totally spent, you might be fine to forgo the shake on occasion.
VeggieLifterChick
New member
It was a really intense chest workout.
I meant like, if I had planned to stay below 2000 for the day and I'd already hit 2000 before my workout, should I come home and still eat a post workout shake or a meal? I'm trying to figure out how important the post workout nutrition is.
What I'm trying to do is average around 1600-1700 cals a day for this week. So some days I can eat 2000 and other days, like today, I gotta stick to 1400 or so. I happened to find myself in a spot where I needed to eat and all that was available was a "Fat Cat" at the "grease trucks." To translate that for those who haven't been to my school, a fat cat is a toasted hoagie roll with 2 cheeseburgers, fries in the sandwich, lettuce, mayo, ketchup, tomatoes. I got the veggie burger, of course.
Anyways, that sandwich took up a beastly number of cals pre-workout. and I wasnt sure if it was important to keep within the cal range or get post workout nutrition.
I meant like, if I had planned to stay below 2000 for the day and I'd already hit 2000 before my workout, should I come home and still eat a post workout shake or a meal? I'm trying to figure out how important the post workout nutrition is.
What I'm trying to do is average around 1600-1700 cals a day for this week. So some days I can eat 2000 and other days, like today, I gotta stick to 1400 or so. I happened to find myself in a spot where I needed to eat and all that was available was a "Fat Cat" at the "grease trucks." To translate that for those who haven't been to my school, a fat cat is a toasted hoagie roll with 2 cheeseburgers, fries in the sandwich, lettuce, mayo, ketchup, tomatoes. I got the veggie burger, of course.
Anyways, that sandwich took up a beastly number of cals pre-workout. and I wasnt sure if it was important to keep within the cal range or get post workout nutrition.No essential amino acids in circulation means no protein synthesis.
The question is, are you eating a mixed protein meal before bed or going to bed fasted or with just a whey shake?
If it is a meal with protein, you're OK for most of the night.
If it is a whey shake, you're OK for two hours.
If it is nothing, you not OK at all.
I'd worry less about muscle glycogen depletion. It isn't as much as you think (about 30 - 40%) after a hard leg workout and much of that will get replenished from blood lactate and liver glycogen.
I'd be worrying about maintaining net positive protein synthesis and that depends on keeping essential aminos in circulation constantly and aside from getting up every few hours to eat, the only thing to do is eat a slowly digested high protein (food based) meal prior to retiring.
W6
The question is, are you eating a mixed protein meal before bed or going to bed fasted or with just a whey shake?
If it is a meal with protein, you're OK for most of the night.
If it is a whey shake, you're OK for two hours.
If it is nothing, you not OK at all.
I'd worry less about muscle glycogen depletion. It isn't as much as you think (about 30 - 40%) after a hard leg workout and much of that will get replenished from blood lactate and liver glycogen.
I'd be worrying about maintaining net positive protein synthesis and that depends on keeping essential aminos in circulation constantly and aside from getting up every few hours to eat, the only thing to do is eat a slowly digested high protein (food based) meal prior to retiring.
W6
VeggieLifterChick
New member
Rez, to clarify, I workout at 9:30-11 pm. I go to sleep at any time between 2 and 4 am.
vinylgroover
New member
You post workout meal should have carbs in it, not just protein. Important to ingest carbs as soon as possible after working out (at least within 60 minutes). You want to spare your protein for muscle building and have the carbs replenish glycogen stores.
My favorite postworkout meal as of now is that of 1 Balance bar and 1 EAS Advant Edge Lemon Cheesecake bar. Either that or two balance bars.
There was a long thread on the diet board (probably a hundred of them now that I think about it) that had about a hundred replies. Maybe if you looked it up, it might help ya out. I believe MS, posted that her favorite pre-workout meal was a slice or two of whole wheat bread andd some peanut butter (correct me if I am wrong sis). I'd probably add some Smucker's sugar free jelly on mine though
BMJ
There was a long thread on the diet board (probably a hundred of them now that I think about it) that had about a hundred replies. Maybe if you looked it up, it might help ya out. I believe MS, posted that her favorite pre-workout meal was a slice or two of whole wheat bread andd some peanut butter (correct me if I am wrong sis). I'd probably add some Smucker's sugar free jelly on mine though
BMJ
Actually, i dug it up for ya, and I was a little off on the MS meal...I forgot the honey. Sorry honey
http://boards.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=132121&highlight=preworkout+meal
BMJ
btw...I no longer drink milk because the bonk I get from it after about a half an hour, I just can't handle that anymore.
http://boards.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=132121&highlight=preworkout+meal
BMJ
btw...I no longer drink milk because the bonk I get from it after about a half an hour, I just can't handle that anymore.
SteelWeaver
New member
VeggieLifterChick said:
This is an interesting question. If you're working on sort of a weekly cal balance, then it would seem logically fine to go ahead and have the 150 cals, then cut off the cals the next day. I wonder though, over what sort of period is optimal to count calories - as a weekly total? A daily total? A three-daily total? Like, if you're at maintenance one day, then waaaay below maintenance the next, then above it the day after, but the total as an average comes out to a negative balance for the 3 days, that surely is fine
Also, how significant is the difference that would be made in protein recycling/synthesis for having the post w/o pro vs NOT having it? Couldn't that be made up the next day when you've saved enough cals to have a decent post w/o meal?
Sorry VLC - going off on a bunch of questions here, but it really IS an interesting question, isn't it?
BTW - some reason you didn't have a protein bar/shake/baked potato on you?
heh heh he heh (sorry, couldn't resist - but don't worry - my current nutrition is nowhere near as good as yours )VeggieLifterChick
New member
Re: Re: post workout nutrition?
All very interesting questions. I have found that rotating cals seems to be more effective than keeping them lower constantly only because my energy levels suffer. its not even a matter of carbs, hi or low. Its a matter of total cals. I'm weak below 1550 or so.
SteelWeaver said:
This is an interesting question. If you're working on sort of a weekly cal balance, then it would seem logically fine to go ahead and have the 150 cals, then cut off the cals the next day. I wonder though, over what sort of period is optimal to count calories - as a weekly total? A daily total? A three-daily total? Like, if you're at maintenance one day, then waaaay below maintenance the next, then above it the day after, but the total as an average comes out to a negative balance for the 3 days, that surely is fine
Also, how significant is the difference that would be made in protein recycling/synthesis for having the post w/o pro vs NOT having it? Couldn't that be made up the next day when you've saved enough cals to have a decent post w/o meal?
Sorry VLC - going off on a bunch of questions here, but it really IS an interesting question, isn't it?
BTW - some reason you didn't have a protein bar/shake/baked potato on you?
All very interesting questions. I have found that rotating cals seems to be more effective than keeping them lower constantly only because my energy levels suffer. its not even a matter of carbs, hi or low. Its a matter of total cals. I'm weak below 1550 or so.
