Post-workout protein intake

[TimelesStyle]

I'm trying to figure out if there's any benefit to changing my post-workout protein intake or if I'm better off as is. Right now my post-workout snack is a 50-60g shake (2 scoops mixed in water) and some wholewheat with peanut butter eaten within ten minutes of my workout ending.

While not that many calories, all the water mixed with protein leaves me feeling very stuffed, but I feel like that's when I need it most. Would I be better off having a one scoop shake (25-30g) with my toast/peanut butter right after and then another one scooper an hour or so later, say with dinner (I'm an evening exerciser)?

 

[slaxer]

Personally I would limit yourself to one scoop of protein pwo, and skip the second, unless your dinner does not include any protein. I know that your getting your carbs pwo with the wholewheat, but consider adding in some raw sugar, as the wholewheat is a low glycemic index sugar. This is assuming that your pwo supplement is very low, or nonexistent of any sugar.

Without going into too much scientific detail insulin aids in amino acid transport into muscle. With the time immediately after the workout being very important a high GI sugar will spike insulin levels allowing maximal transport.

Depending on your metabolism and how late/healthy you workout/eat you may be able to utilize a second scoop right before you go to sleep.

 

[suited]

Originally Posted by TimelesStyle

I'm trying to figure out if there's any benefit to changing my post-workout protein intake or if I'm better off as is. Right now my post-workout snack is a 50-60g shake (2 scoops mixed in water) and some wholewheat with peanut butter eaten within ten minutes of my workout ending.

While not that many calories, all the water mixed with protein leaves me feeling very stuffed, but I feel like that's when I need it most. Would I be better off having a one scoop shake (25-30g) with my toast/peanut butter right after and then another one scooper an hour or so later, say with dinner (I'm an evening exerciser)?

What are your goals? Are you trying to gain weight, lose weight, or are you doing neither and just exercising for other reasons?

I ask because those calories you want to include or drop from your PWO shake might be needed, or it might be a good way to cut calories.

 

[TimelesStyle]

As mentioned in the other thread, the goal is to stay the same size (I'm 6'1, 170) but replace a bit of fat with muscle. I thought one was supposed to have one gram of protein for every pound of body weight on workout days, and though I try eat a lot of high protein foods (favorites include chicken stir from from my neighborhood Thai place, organic spinach and cheese whole wheat tortellini, organic peanut butter, smoked salmon and Greek yogurt) I don't think I'm nearing that level without the shakes.

I tend to start the day with a shake and if I have two additional scoops on lifting days (one on cardio days) then that's 90g on lifting days leaving 80g to be made up for (I probably come close to that, but not every day).

I didn't realize that the sugars I'd usually want to avoid are actually good for immediate PWO, maybe the thing to do is replace the second scoop (25-30g) with a cup of berry/honey yogurt (12g protein, 14g sugar) or replace the toast with a couple Kashi oatmeal cookies (8g sugar each) in order to get the sugars I want.

 

[suited]

My bad, I didn't even bother to look at the name.

Berries are a good idea, raspberries/blackberries/strawberries are all great. If you want to put on a little muscle, the extra scoop of protein won't hurt - it's just more calories. If you'd like to keep the calories the same, then go ahead and substitute it with the berries as you mentioned. My diet is fairly similar to yours. I often have a shake for breakfast, and one for post workout. I'm not a big breakfast person so drinking my calories is a lot easier.

 

[TimelesStyle]

Originally Posted by suited

My bad, I didn't even bother to look at the name.

Berries are a good idea, raspberries/blackberries/strawberries are all great. If you want to put on a little muscle, the extra scoop of protein won't hurt - it's just more calories. If you'd like to keep the calories the same, then go ahead and substitute it with the berries as you mentioned. My diet is fairly similar to yours. I often have a shake for breakfast, and one for post workout. I'm not a big breakfast person so drinking my calories is a lot easier.

Going to give some fruit a try, probably going to try one scoop and a Larabar right after workout, then another scoop an hour later.

 

[sironmocco]

I know that takingr carbs with the wholewheat, but consider adding in some raw sugar, as the wholewheat is a low sugar. This is assuming that your supplement is very low, or nonexistent of any sugar.