You Need to Eat to Build Muscle

If there is a hotel gym when I am traveling, I typically try to get in a workout. I not only want to get in a workout, but I also want to check out the gym equipment. And I also want to people watch and silently comment on people’s horrible form. But anyway, I went on a trip with a group of people and a few of us exercised together. Now, it was a beach vacation and we were in bikinis most of the day. But I was shocked at how little people understood the importance of refueling after a workout. These women starved themselves into their bikinis while I was noshing on my protein bars I packed in my luggage.
What people don’t understand is that what you eat after a workout dramatically impacts your metabolism.  It is very hard to gain much fat in the post-workout period.  Your body desperately needs protein (and calories) after lifting weights to build muscle.  The hormone insulin will either push glucose and protein to storage in fatty tissue and the liver, or push it to muscle cells to fuel, repair, and grow muscle.  There are 2 paths and the path that insulin takes is determined by exercise.  Insulin will go directly to muscle after lifting weights.  Studies show that consuming protein along with sugar after strength training has “a powerful effect on stimulating muscle protein synthesis,” said William J. Evans, director of the Nutrition, Metabolism, and Exercise Laboratory at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.  If you want to build muscle (curves or definition), you need to eat after a workout.  The “anabolic window” is 30 minutes after a workout, so it’s during that time that you want to fuel up.  Forget the calorie fears or thinking that calorie restriction is best for defining those abs.  You need to eat.  While you’re at it, forget your carb fears too, because this is when you definitely can consume those nutrients.  So please eat after a workout.  It’s the best time to do so otherwise all your hard work can go to waste!
Good post workout snack ideas:

• Eggs
• Whey protein shakes
• Greek Yogurt
• Tuna fish on whole wheat crackers
• Nuts or seeds
• Whole wheat bagel with almond butter
• Quinoa
• Kefir
• Sweet potatoes
• Traditional sources: chicken, bison, beef, salmon