If you just started hitting the gym or you are an intermediate. The not so common question jumps into everyone’s mind is if your sweet gonna pay rewards if you eat meal 30 minutes after taking a protein shake or 60 minutes. Now, there are many speculations around this topic in the fitness industry, it’s only because of a lack of research on this topic. So, if you have the same question which I think you do then read this article in which you will going to understand the process our body goes through after a workout and what is the best time to eat a meal and protein shake.
How long after protein shake to eat meal?
You can eat a meal anytime after taking a protein shake if you have done a heavy workout. According to studies done by the American council on exercise, you can also eat meals with a protein shake to feed the energy to your body that is lost during a workout. Depending on your workout a good amount of protein, carbs, and fats are some requirements of your body. A person’s body can digest 50% more carbohydrates and 50% more protein after a workout. so adding carbohydrates and protein to your post-workout meal is a good idea
If it’s about protein then it should be within 30 minutes after a workout, now that’s what earlier studies suggest. But as per the latest studies done on the topic shows that you can take protein 1 hour after workout or more does not have any change in muscle growth. But do not cross the anabolic window gap which is 2 hours.
when to eat a meal after a high-intensity workout?
As explained above there is no specific time you can eat after or during the anabolic window. Within that amount of time, you must take proper nutrition to recover the muscle break down tissue and increase the protein synthesis level in your body. Protein synthesis along with protein breakdown are two processes that together constitute building muscles. Before knowing the time gap you should know about these processes which will give you a deep understanding of how much gap you should maintain before eating a meal after a protein shake.
- Protein synthesis and protein breakdown- These are two processes that occur in our body during exercise or workout which net ratio when combined, leads to muscle growth or muscle loss. where protein synthesis is a process that promotes muscle growth, protein breakdown is opposite, and breaks the muscle tissue during a workout.
If the ratio of protein synthesis is more than protein breakdown then it likely leads to muscle growth. If it’s vice versa then it will result in muscle loss.
How the protein synthesis process affects the meal you should take after a workout?
The simple answer to this is, the longer you take to intake the protein the graph line goes up for protein breakdown and low for muscle growth. The studies have shown that the difference goes up to 50% if you don’t feed your body with proper nutrition. That’s why protein intake becomes so important after a workout. But it doesn’t stop there, after a heavy workout your body craves energy as shown by the American health council and which is possible if you take a balanced meal, which contains a proper amount of carbs, protein, and fat.
The best time to eat a meal is when your body needs it. Yes, after a workout your body burns a huge amount of calories and brings the energy level down. Now, if you think you feel weak after taking a protein shake then you can eat your meal immediately after the protein shake or you can maintain the 30 minutes gap, so that body has time to digest the protein. Usually, an average body takes 30 minutes to digest the isolated protein.
But if we talk about normal protein supplement, then time increases to 1.5 hrs to 2 hrs, but you don’t need to maintain that much gap if your energy level is low even after taking a protein shake.
Is it ok to drink a protein shake between meals?
The study has shown that taking protein throughout the day with a proper gap or in between is a healthy way to maintain the protein level in your body.
An average person without any workout needs 0.36 grams per pound to match Daily protein intake. On the other hand, it increases to 0.76 grams per pound for people who do high-intensity workout.
So, taking a protein in the form of a shake or protein bar between the meals is a proper way to meet your daily protein intake need. The most amount of protein flushed into the body either as fuel before a workout or after a workout to recover damaged tissue.
Summary: You can drink a protein shake between meals or it is the best way to meet the daily protein intake target.
Can you drink a protein shake or eat meals before a workout?
This is one of the hot debate topics on nutrition in recent years. But as per studies, the answer is simple. Yes, you can eat a meal or protein shake before a workout. Even it has experimented with a group of men who are divided into two groups.
Protein Shake provided to one group is before workout and others after a workout. But surprisingly after weeks of the experiment, there is no change in muscle or strength of men of any group.
But the answer which still remains is the time gap and how much quantity?
The quantity of your meal is proportionally directed to what type of workout you follow- high intensity, low intensity, or cardio. Each category demands different quantities. The meal quantity also depends on your body weight. It is also important to maintain the digestive gap between meal and workout.
- Eat a meal that has low-fat value because it takes no time for your body to digest it.
- Carbs are important and more beneficial before a workout because our body converts carbs quickly into glycogen and uses it as an energy fuel. But never forget to add a moderate amount of fat and protein, provides balance to the diet.
- Different types of meals are good for different types of time zones. Some foods digest faster than others.
