By: Andrew Jagim
Date Published: August 2011
Everyone has heard the saying “you are what you eat” but maybe it’s not only what you eat but when you eat it. It’s no secret that resistance training is the primary way to increase strength and muscle mass. However, hitting the weight room is only half the battle. Many people often overlook the importance of nutrition and how vital it is to reaching one’s full potential. By utilizing different nutrient timing strategies you can get more bang for your buck and get the most out of your workouts. Whether you are trying to take down Jay Cutler in the next Mr. Olympia competition or just trying to become strong enough to get your butt up the stairs every day, a proper nutrient timing strategy can help you accomplish your goal.
The pre-workout meal will set the stage for your workout and make sure you have enough energy to fuel the energy demands of your muscles. The timing of the pre-workout meal will depend on when you workout and what your meal schedule is. Regardless, you should shoot for eating some type of meal or snack 2-4 hrs before your workout. This meal should consist of a combination of protein and carbohydrate as well as water in order to maintain hydration levels (1). It’s important that these meals be low in fat and consists of familiar foods in order to promote gastric emptying and minimize discomfort. It’s never a good idea to try a food for the first time before a workout. In addition, meals should consist of low glycemic index (GI) foods. This is to avoid a rapid spike in blood sugar and insulin levels and rather provide a slower rise in blood sugar resulting in longer lasting energy. Once you’re fueled up and ready, then it’s time hit the gym.
During your workout, nutritional supplementation is not as important because energy supplies are not depleted during the average resistance training session (~1 hr), assuming you had a proper pre-workout meal. Therefore, staying hydrated is really the only thing you need to be concerned about during a workout. Consuming 6-8 oz of a protein containing sports drink every 10 to 15 min should be sufficient to maintain proper hydration. Once the workout is over, that’s when all the excitement begins. This is the time when your body is craving the right combination of nutrients and is primed for growth. People often refer to this time period as the “anabolic window” of opportunity. The intense stress that is constantly placed on the muscles during a workout elevates the rate of muscle protein breakdown and synthesis. One study showed that rates of protein breakdown and synthesis were increased up to 31 and 112%, respectively, 3 hours after a workout (3). With the right combination and timing of nutrients you can take advantage of this increased rate of protein synthesis and in the process minimize the rate of protein breakdown. This is why post-exercise nutrition plays such a vital role in building muscle.
Carbohydrates and proteins are equally important because proteins provide the backbone for the synthesis of new muscle and carbohydrates replenish energy stores and increase insulin levels which can aid in the transport of nutrients into the muscle. Ideally a post workout snack should be consumed within 30 minutes after exercise followed by a larger meal 2 hours later. The post-workout snack should consist of carbohydrates and protein in a 3:1 ratio. This should equate to about 1.5 g/kg of bodyweight for carbohydrates and .5 g/ kg for protein (1). In this case, the carbohydrates should be high GI foods in order to promote a rapid rise in blood sugar and insulin which will assist in the influx of nutrients into the muscle. Proper re-hydration should also be considered post workout and any fluids that may have been lost during exercise should be replenished. Again, it is imperative that proper nutrient timing be included in any training program in order to maximize results and help achieve one’s potential. So remember to not only train hard in the weight room but work hard in the kitchen as well.
Andrew Jagim earned his Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and Exercise Science at the University of North Dakota. He went on to complete a Master’s degree in Human Performance at the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse. He currently is working on his PhD in Exercise Physiology at Texas A&M University working under Dr. Richard Kreider. His primary research area focuses on the use of different nutrition and training strategies to improve measures of performance and health.
References:
- Kerksick, C., Harvey, T., Stout, J., Campbell, B., Wilborn, C., Kreider, R., Kalman, D., Ziegenfuss, T., Lopez, H., Landis, J., Ivy, J., & Antonio, J. (2008). International society of sports nutrition position stand: nutrient timing. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 5 (17).
- Cribb, P., Hayes, Alan. (2006). Effects of supplement timing and resistance exercise on skeletal muscle hypertrophy. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 38 (11); p. 1918-1925.
- Phillips, SM., Tipton, KD., Aarsland, A., Wolf, SE., & Wolfe, RR. (1997). Mixed muscle protein synthesis and breakdown after resistance exercise in humans. American Journal of Physiology. 273 (1) p. 99-107.
