What and when to eat after a workout? - Exercise & Fitness Message Board

someguyinhis20s · 07-31-2002, 08:29 AM

I read an article the other day that talked about the post workout meal and if offered the following rule:

Ingest 1g of carbohydrates per kg of body weight within 15 minutes of exercise cessation. Add enough protein so at to ingest a 3:1 Carb:Protein ratio.

I'd like to know if this is too much or too little carbohydrate and protein, whether this applies to any workout whether it be cario or weight training, and how important is it to have the meal within 15 minutes.

Right now, I do cardio in the morning, shower and get ready for work, then eat breakfast which is just a bowl of cereal. That's more than 15 minutes after I finish exercising. Am I making a mistake by not eating as soon as I finish working out and why is it so important to eat within 15 minutes? Also, would it better to have a shake instead of an actual meal following a workout given that it's so important to get those nutrients in your system within 15 minutes? If that's the case, can any of you recommend a shake or bar that has the necessary carbs and proteins in the right ratio?

gym_girl · 07-31-2002, 09:22 PM

I would really like to know the answer to this question too....

I hope someone can help us.

N2Deep · 07-31-2002, 10:24 PM

I have heard that Milk and Yogurt are good after workout foods. Good Protein and Carbs. Anybody else have luck with anything else?

darkwolfofvoid · 08-01-2002, 02:09 AM

I'll just speculate, but maybe within that 15 minute period after the workout is when your body is at it's peak craving nutrition. I'd say right now though, after i went running four miles and just wanted to drop i didn't care to eat!!! lol But i think i had a yogurt and maybe an apple. Something light like that is probably good, or even a nutritional shake. Basically your body will probably suck it up like a sponge and use it effectively lol

Although that card

rotein ratio, if the workout was for body building, i'd think the protein would want to be more, but hell if i know, i'm not the one who did this research. I'd like to know of it's validity though. But i'd see that ratio as maybe for each 1g of protein, it'd take 3g of carbs to efficently transfer it into and through the body, and your body will want to ingest 1g of carb per kg of body weight *shrugs* But what about all the other stuff? nutrients? What was the POINT of this artical??! lol I mean, it could be a good rule, but for what accomplishement?