Post Workout Nutrition For Muscle Gain

The period after your workout is the most important time span for you to take advantage of nutrition for muscle gain. 

This period can be defined as the 3 hours after your workout. Here’s why—this is the time period when your body most craves nutrients and your muscles will literally soak them up, making this a time prime to use nutrition for muscle gain.

If you use nutrition for muscle gain at this critical time by providing your body with whole foods and supplements, you will not only help your muscles grow faster but also give them the capability to recover quickly.

Let’s look at what you need to do to make this happen after an intense workout:.

1) Your body needs to get back into an anabolic, muscle-building state to minimize muscle breakdown.
2) Blood sugar and glycogen levels need to be restored.
3) Making sure you neutralize free radicals is critical.
4) Offer your muscles the right nutrition for muscle gain, and they will grow and recover faster.

For optimal nutrition, consider these 2 special “post-workout meals.”.

This first meal is to be had in a totally liquid form. When you complete a major workout, not only is your body stressed but it’s also in a condition wherein it’s starved for nutrients. This liquid meal offers an instant nutrient boost to your body and helps it to start building itself back up immediately.

The following nutrition for muscle gain should be included in your post-workout shake:.

1) Add 30 to 40 grams of whey protein to the shake.
2) Add 70 to 80 grams of a simple sugar such as dextrose. (Dextrose is a great sugar to use)
3) Add 5 grams of creatine.
4) Add an optional 5 to 10 grams of glutamine. (Optional)

Mix these ingredients in water and consume within half an hour after you’ve finished working out. I highly recommend taking a high-potency multivitamin as well. If you want to accelerate muscle growth and have a faster recovery, this simple shake will do the trick.

About 45 minutes to an hour after consuming this shake, add on a second post-workout meal, comprising whole foods. Make sure that this meal is high in protein and rich in high glycemic carbohydrates for optimal post-workout nutrition for muscle gain.

High glycemic carbohydrates are broken down rapidly in your bloodstream. Some examples are white rice, rice cakes, or potatoes. Some examples of a good second post-workout meal are as follows:.

1) A 6 oz steak and a potato washed down with a glass of orange juice.
2) 1 glass of grapefruit juice, 1 can of tuna, and 100 g rice cakes.

You want to offer your starved muscles the chance to rebuild muscle tissue and restore glycogen levels, and this meal offers the perfect balance of required nutrients.

Out of the 3- hour window of nutrition for muscle gain, you still have 2 hours left. Remember, your goal in this 3-hour window is to consume as many high quality proteins and high glycemic carbohydrates as you can.

Do not hinder your results by underestimating the importance of nutrition for muscle gain during this critical, 3-hour window. You need to get as much protein and carb intake as possible during this 3-hour window, so don’t make the mistake of ignoring this important step.

Your muscle size and strength gains will receive a big boost if you treat this post-workout period with respect.