What should I eat after a workout?

On Ep. 78, Nikkiey explains that you don't build muscle in the gym. You break it down there, and what you feed your body afterward and over the next 24 to 48 hours is what repairs and rebuilds it. On Ep. 28 she adds that carbs refill the glycogen your workout drained. If you leave the gym lightheaded, or your foot shakes on the gas pedal after leg day, that is depleted glycogen talking. Protein and carbs together also help reduce soreness and improve your next session.

On Ep. 184 she gets specific. Broadly, 20 to 40 grams of high-quality protein works for most people, though everyone's daily target is different. She eats within the first 30 minutes. The window can stretch to about two hours, but she wouldn't push it that far, because she'd feel like her body was eating itself. For carbs, she suggests roughly a 3:1 or 4:1 ratio of carbs to protein, with 30 grams of carbs or more. Fast-digesting choices like white rice, sweet potatoes, bananas and berries hit glycogen stores quickly. Some people in the bodybuilding world use candy, but she recommends quality sources.

The practical piece matters as much as the food. Nikkiey makes her shake before she gets to the gym and keeps it in her bag, so there are no excuses when she walks out. If you train after work, put protein powder in a blender bottle, add water afterward and bring a banana. When the meal is already planned, recovery stops depending on willpower.