Nutrition after strength training

Many people have a question, what to eat after a workout? You've probably heard more than once: "close the carbohydrate window", "protein window", "glycogenic window", "anabolic window", call it You want to. What kind of windows are these?

What is glycogen?

Glycogen is carbohydrates formed and stored in the liver and muscles. It is made from excess starches and sugars, which are initially converted into glucose, and in the case of its non-use into glycogen. This process is called glycolysis.

Energy for the physical body is the body's ability to do work. One of the most important aspects of strength training is maintaining the necessary energy reserves. When fatigue sets in, the body loses the ability to produce it, which impairs the performance of any actions. One of the most effective ways to restore energy reserves is to replenish glycogen reserves.

And if the specifics of your training are aimed at gaining muscle mass (this is typical for athletes), then you need to take a protein-carbohydrate mixture immediately after training.

But in this article we discuss the issues of weight loss, so it is important to understand how to lose weight and keep your muscles in good shape.

Closing the protein window

Today you had a workout with weights. And which of the windows should I close after it? The correct answer is: the protein window, it is the same as the protein window. You can eat something carbohydrate: the sugar level in the blood is normalized, which will entail an increase in energy. But let's be honest, if you don't "throw in yourself immediately after training "a couple of carbohydrates", the body will be condescending to you. There is no "crime" here. It is more important to remember that in the training process you destroyed muscle tissues that need rapid recovery, here the body is simply heartless. Immediately after training, you need to take protein. If you don't do this, then a catabolic state will develop.

Remember: the body has many ways to compensate for post-workout energy deficiency, but there is not one to cope with protein catabolism.

Therefore, the main thing is: immediately after strength training, we take a portion of protein. Ideally, we add amino acids. This is called: "close the protein window."

What are amino acids?

They are also called amines. Amino acids are instantly absorbed because they are not chemically related to other substances. They do not require digestion, they quickly enter the muscles, which helps prevent muscle catabolism. Amino acids support biochemical reactions, hormones that affect metabolism, hemoglobin, which delivers oxygen throughout the body. The work of the nervous system depends on amino acids.

Let's say that on the day of strength training you ate a lot of protein, the level of amino acids in your blood will be sufficient to restore protein destruction in your muscles. But there is one pitfall here: the lifestyle of a sports fan does not allow him to live in the kitchen, as a professional does.

You come to a club with a deficiency of amino acid balance in your body, so after training you just have to close the protein window.

There is an opinion that the length of this window is about two hours, then you can eat and not rush. But it is better to take a portion of protein immediately after training. And after an hour and a half, you will have the main meal, which consists of a choice: either chicken breast without skin, or selected meat/fish. All of the above is only boiled or steamed. There is a lot of protein in such food.

We discussed eating after STRENGTH training. It does not matter in which version it was performed: strength+cardio or cardio+strength. The protein window is closed immediately after the end of physical activity.