Hey guys, Sean Nalewanyj here of SeanNal.com and BodyTransformationTruth.com and in this
video I want to talk a little bit about post workout shakes and whether or not they are
a necessary component of an effective muscle building or fat burning diet plan.
So a typical post workout shake generally contains a mixture of whey protein and simple
sugars which is mixed in water and then consumed within about 30 minutes after the workout
is complete, and although post workout shakes have been a standard part of muscle building
and fat loss nutrition plans for decades, this is yet another area where conventional
fitness advice falls short.
So although there's nothing wrong with consuming a post workout shake, here's why it ultimately
just doesn't matter either way.
First is the issue of simple carbohydrates.
Now these are usually added to post workout shakes for the purposes of restoring muscle
glycogen and spiking insulin levels in order to increase the absorption of the protein.
First off, unless you're performing exhaustive endurance work, a standard weight training
workout is only going to deplete glycogen levels by around 30 to 40 percent and even
then, there is no need at all to immediately restore those levels unless you were planning
on training the same muscle groups again within the next 12 to 24 hours or so.
Now this may be a legitimate concern for athletes who train multiple times per day, but not
for the average gym goer.
Simply resume your regular nutrition plan once you're home from the gym, and those glycogen
levels are going to naturally replete themselves within a few meals.
As for spiking insulin levels, most people don't know this but most high protein foods
elicit a significant insulin response from your body in the same way that carbohydrates
do.
For example, beef has an insulin score of about 50 which is the same as that of brown
rice, brown pasta or rye bread and whey protein is also highly insulinogenic.
And secondly is the issue of fast acting protein.
Most people highly underestimate the very slow, gradual nature of digestion and absorption.
It takes many hours for the protein in any particular meal to be fully broken down into
its individual amino acid components, released into the bloodstream and then absorbed by
your body.
And what this means is that if you already consumed some sort of pre-workout meal within
a few hours of beginning your session, the same nutrients from that meal are still being
released into your bloodstream even after your workout is over.
And for that reason there really is no necessity to go and slam a protein shake immediately
after your session nor is it mandatory that that protein be from a fast acting food such
as whey, because even whey protein itself still requires several hours to be fully broken
down and utilized.
In addition, even if there were no amino acids available for your body right after your workout
was over it still wouldn't make any real difference in the big picture since your total muscle
gains are ultimately going to be determined by your overall net protein balance over the
long term, and those who properly employ an intermittent fasting type of diet are a good
example of this.
So again, there's certainly nothing wrong with including a post workout shake in your
diet plan, and if you find it to be a convenient way to get additional protein and carbs into
your diet or if you just don't have much of an appetite following your workout then that's
totally fine, however, don't make the mistake of thinking that it's somehow mandatory or
that you need to run out and purchase some high tech, rapidly absorbing carbohydrate
powder or fancy protein formula in order to get the best results.
Chicken and rice or fish and potatoes is ultimately going to give you the same overall effect.
When it comes to proper muscle building and fat burning nutrition, just focus on the big
picture by meeting your overall calorie, protein, carb and fat needs for the day as a whole
and getting them from the proper food sources.
What you do in brief windows of 20 minutes here and 40 minutes there is ultimately going
to do nothing more then over-complicate your life without delivering any additional benefits.
So thanks for watching this video lesson.
I hope you found the information useful here today.
If you did enjoy the video, as always, please make sure to hit the LIKE button, leave a
comment and subscribe to stay up-to-date on future video lessons.
Also make sure to check out my complete step-by-step muscle building and fat loss programs over
at BodyTransformationTruth.com, the link for that is in the description box below.
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Talk to you again soon.