Hello again and welcome to another edition of Simple Muscle Secrets.
Today I wanted to discuss the post workout meal and clear the air on some of the confusion and myths that surround it.
The Post Workout Meal Facts
Basically it all stems from a question I received recently from a client, Ryan, from Florida in the USA. The question was:
"I'm a bit confused about the post-workout meal. Specifically when to have it and in what form? I've been told by some people that it must be a shake while others have said it can be solid food. I also read somewhere that said that I could eat the meal anywhere up to 24 hours after my workout and still get the same results, so why do you say different?"
To give you a complete answer let me break the question down into a few parts:
Firstly, as I detailed in Simple Muscle, the goal of this meal is to maximise the growth you achieve from the intense workout session you have just performed. The reason it is so crucial stems from your body's natural hormone production and the unique opportunity you have at this time. Namely, the chance to maximise IGF-1 production and minimise Cortisol production.
To re-cap, IGF-1 is the most potent muscle building hormone in your body but its production is very limited. It is produced when BOTH Insulin and Growth Hormone Levels are high. This occurs rarely because when one is high usually the other is low. Cortisol on the other hand is a Catabolic hormone and we need to minimise its production as much as possible.
Following your workout your Growth Hormone levels are high. Your insulin levels are low because there is no glucose to process as it was burned during the workout.
If you consume an easily digestible high protein / high carb meal immediately following your workout, you will cause an Insulin spike in your body. This spike means that your insulin levels rise rapidly before your Growth Hormone levels drop. With both Insulin and Growth Hormone levels high, IGF-1 is produced and with the protein that we have consumed also, our body turns into a muscle building furnace!!!
The reason this meal must be consumed no longer than 30-40 minutes after your workout is that as detailed in Simple Muscle, your Growth Hormone levels will begin to drop after this time and because of the lack of nutrients in your system, your Cortisol levels will rise as your body begins breaking down protein and muscle tissue to produce enough glucose to return the body to a normal blood sugar level.
I know it is a little long winded but this is why people who say that the Post Workout Meal is not important, or doesn't have to be consumed straight away are wrong! The scientific facts don't lie.
I always try to consume this meal immediately after my workout and never any longer than 25-30 minutes!
As for the specific make up of the meal..................
The meal needs to consist of Protein for muscle repair and growth and Carbohydrates for energy and hormone production. No fat is consumed with this meal as it is detrimental to what we are trying to achieve.
Ideally the sooner these nutrients can be digested and enter the bloodstream the better as we only have a limited time in which we can stimulate our hormones. As you know complex carbs are slow digesting and therefore not suitable at this time because this is one of the few occasions we ARE actually trying to produce high blood sugar levels and therefore a HIGH Insulin spike.
Therefore easily digestible simple carbs are best for this purpose.
Likewise the more easily digestible the protein we consume is the faster and better we can maximise muscle repair.
That is why consuming these nutrients in liquid or shake form is recommended. It is far more easily digested. Solid food, whilst containing these nutrients does still take longer to digest than liquid and therefore reduces the effectiveness of your hormone production.
I recommend a whey protein powder (isolate or concentrate) mixed with a high GI carb source. Whilst I will not endorse any particular brand or company's supplements, I suggest you visit any supplement shop or online store and look for post workout recovery drinks aimed at causing an insulin spike.
Just one final point on this subject about IGF-1. Because it is such a potent muscle building hormone, some people have been trying to increase their levels by taking specific artificial IGF-1 supplements. I strongly recommend against this as unnaturally high levels of IGF-1 (as produced by these supplements) can cause cancer and other major health problems.
Stick to natural production through correct dieting and you will produce all the IGF-1 you need in a safe and healthy manner.
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I Want To Hear All About Your Progress
As a valued client your success with the Simple Muscle System is my highest priority and I am always excited to hear the progress you make. As you have seen many client testimonials have featured on web pages, in emails and products. Sharing your success also helps others achieve there own goals as they see real people achieving real results. The more the better.
If you have results you would like to share then please send an email to paul@simplemuscle.com detailing your starting measurements / background and your results to date. The more detail the better.
Always remember that your privacy is always respected and no results are published without your express consent.
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You Have The Power
Help shape Simple Muscle Secrets. As you know I'm dedicated to helping you achieve your goals and create the body you've always wanted. I want to hear from you on what issues you think are important or need addressing or what you would like to hear more about in Simple Muscle Secrets.
Simply send an email to secrets@simplemuscle.com outlining your thoughts and I will endeavour to address these issues in the editions of Simple Muscle Secrets that follow.
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I hope you enjoyed this issue of Simple Muscle Secrets. Until next time........
Train For Gain,
Paul James
SimpleMuscle.com
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