I’ve wondered this for a while now. I’ve read a lot of articles detailing post-workout recommendations ranging from certain percentages of body weight in carbs and protein to the “see-food diet” style of eating. However, one thing that has been on my mind is the level of muscular damage and the subsequent post-exercise caloric / macronutrient intake levels.
To clarify, when I’m finishing my shift at the gym, many days I really can’t get a huge workout in, so I will only work the grip muscles or something else that is a smaller muscle group in a largely concentric fashion. I had assumed most of the postworkout recovery methods that detailed a larger caloric intake were based on balls to the wall exercise including heavy eccentric movements.
My question would be then, does anyone know any particular guidelines relating to muscular recovery along those lines?
(I don’t want to eat too much and end up adding some beautiful fat to my summer figure)
That’s an interesting subject and you’re correct that most pwo guidlines exist based on moderate to high intensity training sessions and don’t account for lighter days.
Although I can’t offer any scientific guidelines I can say that I do adhere to your basic idea.
For instance if I might only do abs and some grip work, and follow that up with a classic (carb) Grow! with milk and take it easy foodwise thereafter (typical P+F meal).
But on an all out leg day, I’ll have Surge, then 30 minutes later might hit CiCi’s pizza buffet or some cerial, along with another big P+C meal 1-2 hours later.
I’d think it would still be a good idea to get a good whey protein drink in after any type of activity, just maybe not a full out high carb PWO drink.
Interested to see if anyone can serve up some good scientific numbers on this though.
The protein intake will stimulate protein synthesis, in a “fasted” state, regardless if you’ve worked out or not. Of course it will have a bigger effect in the muscles worked.
The carbs in Surge aren’t all THAT high so I wouldn’t completely rule it out for that reason.
That avatar almost looks like an x-ray of Darth Vader!