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Why is it best to eat right after a workout?
By Christina | June 23, 2009
There are so many trains of thought when it comes to what you should eat and when you should eat regarding the optimal intake of nutrition and how the body best utilizes what it ingests. I have never been one to eat or workout according to strict guidelines but the research certainly does show compelling evidence as to why you should consider maintaining some semblance of order and consistency.
There is a window of time after you finish exercising which allows your body to get the most out of the nutrients you intake at it seems to last approximately 45 minutes post workout, this window is referred to as the metabolic window. The metabolic window is only in effect if you had an intense workout session lasting 60 to 90 minutes, a leisurely stroll down memory lane is not going to afford you the same benefits.
Enzymes responsible for replacing the lost muscle carbs as well as insulin responsible for protein rebuilding are at peak during this window. Now listen (read) closely - to rebuild these stores you need to eat a handful of nuts, a bagel with some cream cheese, or a yogurt. Notice this did not say a cheeseburger or seven course meal - it means a light snack will do the trick.
Besides eating too much potentially, another problem associated with post workout eating is when you miss the window altogether and do not eat within the 45 minutes because you need to shower or drive somewhere. The negative impact of missing the carb/ protein snack is that now you have slowed your carb replacement by 50 percent and reduced the protein replenishment by 80 percent. Be sure to eat!
