# Post workout shake



## PurpleOnes (Oct 17, 2013)

Hello!

I wanted to ask if post workout shake is mandatory thing right after having your gym workout?

Can't I just eat a proper meal instead like brown rice with some chicken and veggies. What is actual science or benefits to having a post workout shake with whey and dextrose for example?


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## swole troll (Apr 15, 2015)

No it isn't

Yes you can


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## 66983 (May 30, 2016)

PurpleOnes said:


> Hello!
> 
> I wanted to ask if post workout shake is mandatory thing right after having your gym workout?
> 
> Can't I just eat a proper meal instead like brown rice with some chicken and veggies. What is actual science or benefits to having a post workout shake with whey and dextrose for example?


 It's not the law but the thinking behind this is:

Drinking a whey protein shake will create an insulin spike after training, the spike created will increase protein synthesis

Your body needs protein after a workout. It is important to get protein into your system as fast as you can, so doesn't it make sense to intake a protein that is absorbed quickly. Hydrolyzed whey isolates takes about 20 minutes to be absorbed, whole foods can take hours to digest. "Recent research reviews indicate a protein/carb mix stimulates insulin and other anabolic hormones levels far greater than just carbohydrates alone.

Like I said it's personal preference, When bulking I do the shake thing, when cutting I do the whole food thing just because I'm calorie restricted (can't have both the whey and the food).


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## PurpleOnes (Oct 17, 2013)

Sparkey said:


> It's not the law but the thinking behind this is:
> 
> Drinking a whey protein shake will create an insulin spike after training, the spike created will increase protein synthesis
> 
> ...


 I see so you drink the shake and have proper meal 1 hour later or what is the deal?


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## 66983 (May 30, 2016)

PurpleOnes said:


> I see so you drink the shake and have proper meal 1 hour later or what is the deal?


 Give this a watch, he goes through pre, intra and post workout nutrition.


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## Abc987 (Sep 26, 2013)

A skake is convenient. I finish my workout then walk to station with a shake and get on the train.


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## Ultrasonic (Jul 13, 2004)

swole troll said:


> No it isn't
> 
> Yes you can


 ^This.

I'm not aware of any evidence of having protein immediately post workout being superior to a whole food meal say an hour later. The only time I can see it might be very slightly beneficial is if it had been hours since someone last ate protein, but I'd just avoid this being the case.


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## PurpleOnes (Oct 17, 2013)

Ultrasonic said:


> ^This.
> 
> I'm not aware of any evidence of having protein immediately post workout being superior to a whole food meal say an hour later. The only time I can see it might be very slightly beneficial is if it had been hours since someone last ate protein, but I'd just avoid this being the case.


 So my choices would be having a protein shake with carbs right after workout then wait 1 hour and have proper meal or just have proper meal 1 hour later and skip post workout shake?

Can I just eat a normal meal right after gym workout and not wait 1 hour?


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## Ultrasonic (Jul 13, 2004)

> Can I just eat a normal meal right after gym workout and not wait 1 hour?


 Yes. I wasn't suggesting waiting an hour was beneficial, just giving an example of what someone might do.

What I do is train, have a shower and then eat a meal.


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## biomechanicalBen (May 17, 2017)

PurpleOnes said:


> So my choices would be having a protein shake with carbs right after workout then wait 1 hour and have proper meal or just have proper meal 1 hour later and skip post workout shake?
> 
> Can I just eat a normal meal right after gym workout and not wait 1 hour?


 Agree with @Sparkey, there is a definite benefit to using whey as the protein source after training.

But the difference between this and a meal which produced the same amount of carb/protein isn't going to be massive if you are not measuring everything else in your life down to the tiny detail to optimise training then I think the general advice would be: you have to make it work for you and enjoy the process!

Also, experiment! Try it for a week, see how your energy is, see how your strength is the next day!

Maybe your body handles some things differently to others, maybe whey would be amazing for you or maybe whey just doesnt sit or digest well for you. Listen to your body as part of it.


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## Ultrasonic (Jul 13, 2004)

biomechanicalBen said:


> Agree with @Sparkey, there is a *definite benefit* to using whey as the protein source after training.


 I challenge you to prove this.


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## biomechanicalBen (May 17, 2017)

Ultrasonic said:


> I challenge you to prove this.


 http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/8/12/763

Quite an interesting white paper you can read, I guess it doesn't prove but certainly some interviews with Jorn afterwards he suggests that he believes whey's amino profile is better suited.

So I guess not proved but certainly an interesting paper which suggests


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## biomechanicalBen (May 17, 2017)

Ultrasonic said:


> I challenge you to prove this.


 But ok yes I take back definite! (there is a good chance would be a better phrase!)


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## Ultrasonic (Jul 13, 2004)

biomechanicalBen said:


> But ok yes I take back definite! (there is a good chance would be a better phrase!)


 I make the point as it's often stated that we benefit from fast absorbed protein post-workout, but I have never seen any research to back this up. And I've read A LOT of research papers on protein ingestion and muscle building.


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## biomechanicalBen (May 17, 2017)

Ultrasonic said:


> I make the point as it's often stated that we benefit from fast absorbed protein post-workout, but I have never seen any research to back this up. And I've read A LOT of research papers on protein ingestion and muscle building.


 Agree  and fair enough! That paper suggests the higher leucine in whey helps prompt anabolism faster than others might, but then again its one paper and he doesn't contrast a lot of other sources as thats not his focus. So agree with you @Ultrasonic good shout!


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## Ultrasonic (Jul 13, 2004)

biomechanicalBen said:


> Agree  and fair enough! That paper suggests the higher leucine in whey helps prompt anabolism faster than others might, but then again its one paper and he doesn't contrast a lot of other sources as thats not his focus. So agree with you @Ultrasonic good shout!


 The link you posted is talking about protein before bed?

You want the meal you have post-workout to have enough quality protein to exceed the leucine threshold needed to promote muscle building (muscle protein synthesis or MPS). Chicken can do this just like whey could though. As it's partly hinted at in your link I'll add that there is also a growing body of evidence that the best approach is to have a number of meals that achieve this but separated by 4+ hours to allow blood amino acid levels to fall again before the next spike. One reason to eat quickly post-workout is actually so that your body will then be ready for the next such meal sooner. Related to this, if I were to have whey post-workout I'd personally wait 2 hours before having a meal to allow blood amino acid levels to increase and then fall again. (Blood amino acid levels peak about 1 hour after ingestion.)


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## biomechanicalBen (May 17, 2017)

Ultrasonic said:


> The link you posted is talking about protein before bed?
> 
> You want the meal you have post-workout to have enough quality protein to exceed the leucine threshold needed to promote muscle building (muscle protein synthesis or MPS). Chicken can do this just like whey could though. As it's partly hinted at in your link I'll add that there is also a growing body of evidence that the best approach is to have a number of meals that achieve this but separated by 4+ hours to allow blood amino acid levels to fall again before the next spike. One reason to eat quickly post-workout is actually so that your body will then be ready for the next such meal sooner. Related to this, if I were to have whey post-workout I'd personally wait 2 hours before having a meal to allow blood amino acid levels to increase and then fall again. (Blood amino acid levels peak about 1 hour after ingestion.)


 ^^ just yes.


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