What to Eat After a Workout for Muscle Recovery

Nikkiey: Real quick, the only ask I could ever have of you guys is to help spread the word so we can help more women lose body fat, build muscle, reach their goals, and feel insanely confident. And the only way we can do that is if you rate, review, and share this podcast. So the single thing I ask you to do is leave a review. It will take you 10 seconds, and it will mean the absolute world to me and may change the world of someone else.

Because protein, let's just talk about protein, it's the building block for muscle repair. You guys have heard me say this before. I believe it's the king of all the macronutrients. It is the macronutrient that is critical for the recovery process to start happening, for you to not feel as sore, but also for the growth to happen. And when the growth happens, you're going to get toned. You're going to see the results that you want.

Yo, yo, yo, what is going on, you guys? Welcome back to The WarriorBabe Show with Nikkiey Stott, co-founder of WarriorBabe. Or if this is one of your first episodes, hey, you guys, welcome to the show. On this podcast, we talk about mindset, methodologies, and tactics that will help you lose body fat, build muscle, be strong, and feel insanely confident. I'm your host, Nikkiey Stott, and welcome to today's episode, episode 184.

Today is a new episode. Thank you guys for getting through the last couple of weeks, where it has been a journey. I'm sure at some point I will talk about what has been going on in my personal space and world. Once I've gotten through the aspects of myself that I'm learning about and processing, I know one day I will share it with you. But for now, let's keep it to fitness.

Today, specifically, I want to talk about nutrition, diving into post-workout nutrition. I think this is honestly something that doesn't get enough attention. In my opinion, if there's any meal that you want to have in the day, I think this is the second most important meal. The most important one is probably your pre-workout, because you want to have the fuel that you need when you go and work out. The post-workout nutrition is the type of nutrition that's going to help you optimize your muscle recovery and your growth, and essentially get you to be toned and see the results that you want to see.

So I always think, after a workout, where's my post-workout shake? Where's my banana? I need that almost immediately, because I can feel the effects in my body, being very in tune with it. Nine, ten years of doing this, you start to realize what your body needs and how it's going to be optimized efficiently.

When I'm done a workout, and think about it for you guys too, you've just crushed your workout. Your muscles are fatigued. Your energy levels are low. Maybe sometimes you feel lightheaded or dizzy, or your body is shaking. You ever do leg day and you get in the car to press the gas pedal and your legs are shaking? Yeah. It's because you just had a freaking awesome workout, right?

And nutrition is one of the hardest things for people to understand. If everybody had nutrition down, I feel like everybody would have the results within their body that they wanted. 100% of the world would be walking around with some fucking sexy ass bodies. I'm just saying that to be real. But you're probably wondering, how can you recover efficiently? How can you make sure that you're eating the right things that are going to give you the results that you want after crushing a solid workout?

So the period right after a workout is often referred to as the anabolic window. It's a critical time when your body is primed to absorb the nutrients and to begin the recovery process. You guys hear me say this all the time in podcast episodes: particularly with strength training, you're creating these micro tears in your muscle fibers when you are exercising. And it's a good thing that that's happening. Your body then repairs those micro tears by bringing them together, which increases your results, increases your tone, increases your muscle mass and your strength.

That's called hypertrophy. I always say that wrong. Hypertrophy. Hypertrophy. I always say it in two syllables. It's just how it works in my brain. But you guys get what I'm saying. That's what that process is called.

However, how that process happens efficiently is by giving your body the right fuel. You're breaking down the muscle inside the gym, right? That's what I say all the time. You're not building it until afterwards. You're not building it until you start the recovery process and give your body what it needs to repair, to prime those muscle fibers, to grow them back even stronger. And that comes from the proper fuel that you give your body.

That's where post-workout nutrition comes into play. Consuming the right nutrients after exercise can help speed up the recovery process, help reduce muscle soreness, and help replenish your energy stores, so you don't feel like you're going to pass out, you don't feel lightheaded. It promotes muscle growth and gives you the ultimate results you are seeking, that toned result.

And while I'm speaking to post-workout nutrition, I'm also speaking to your daily overall consumption of nutrients, macronutrients, micronutrients, your daily overall consumption of food. We're talking about post-workout nutrition in this episode, but it's not just that one meal. It's how you eat in the 24 to 48 hours after a workout that's going to prime your body internally for these processes to occur and get you the results that you want externally.

So let's talk about the science a little more in depth. After your workout, your body needs two key things. It needs protein and it needs carbohydrates. If there's any recommendation I'm going to give you guys for your post-workout meal, it's got to be protein and it's got to be carbohydrates.

Why I'm leaving out fat, and I believe I've talked about this in previous episodes, is because fat takes twice as long to digest, because it takes nine calories to make up one gram of fat, whereas protein and carbs only consist of four calories per gram. So fat takes twice as long to digest in your body, and in layman's terms, it almost gets in the way of absorbing those other two key nutrients that you need to start the recovery process. And fat doesn't really do much post-workout anyway. It does its job in the other meals throughout your day.

So you will hear me, or our coaches at WarriorBabe, or anyone on social media say: just focus on getting your protein and your carbohydrates post-workout, and pre-workout as well. Because you're going to digest the protein and the carbs a little quicker than you're going to digest the fats. That's going to give you the energy, through the protein and carbohydrates, to drive your workout. And then afterwards, it's all about the recovery.

So protein, let's just talk about protein. It's the building block for muscle repair. You guys have heard me say this before. I believe it's the king of all the macronutrients. It is the macronutrient that is critical for the recovery process to start happening, for you to not feel as sore, but also for the growth to happen. And when the growth happens, you're going to get toned. You're going to see the results that you want.

During exercise, especially during strength training, the breakdown of muscle protein happens. So consuming protein after your workout provides your body with the essential amino acids it needs to repair and build new muscle tissue.

So how much protein should you consume? This is vastly different among individuals, obviously, because everybody has a different protein target on a daily basis. But broadly speaking, you need to consume anywhere from 20 to 40 grams of high-quality protein within the first 30 minutes. Studies have totally changed over time in terms of the post-workout consumption window, and you can go as far as two hours post-workout. I personally would not recommend that. But that is the window in which you're going to be able to maximize muscle protein synthesis.

In my personal opinion, if I was to go two hours, I'd feel like I'm going to pass out. I would feel like my body is eating itself. And I'm sure some of you guys have been there and resonate with that type of feeling. I will consume something within the first 30 minutes, typically, because I know what's happening and I want to start the recovery process.

Anybody can work out really hard. A lot of people do. Working out is one of the easiest things that people put themselves through, in my opinion, when it comes to the world of fitness. Everybody and their mom works out. But are you eating the right way? Are you fueling your body the right way? Do you understand pre- and post-workout nutrition? Not a lot of people do. And that's why I'm sharing this understanding, knowledge and education with you guys.

I'm actually going to talk about what I personally do in a little bit. Right now we're talking about the science, and then I'm going to get practical with you guys and talk about some actionable tips. So I'm going to save that for later.

So what are some excellent sources of protein you could include right after a workout? You obviously want something that is easily digestible, and typically what is easily digestible is protein powder, specifically isolate protein powder. If you see isolate on your protein bag or container, that's a solid post-workout and pre-workout protein powder. Chicken breast, believe it or not, is actually easy to digest. Fish, eggs, and plant-based options like tofu and lentils are easily digestible and excellent sources of protein.

So that's the world of protein. Let's dive into the world of carbohydrates. I feel like this is a very sensitive topic for a lot of people, because people believe that carbohydrates are the enemy and that carbohydrates make you fat. There's an awesome episode, and I don't know how to reference the right one, where I talk about carbs and the world of carbohydrates when it comes to strength training. I talk about how for every certain amount of grams of carbohydrates you eat, your body holds on to water. That water is going to show on the scale, and it's going to make a lot of people feel like they're gaining fat. They're not really. They're gaining water weight. Their body is getting used to eating carbohydrates, especially for those who have eliminated carbohydrates entirely, which is what happens with keto. They're not losing fat. They're losing water weight, because carbohydrates and water are very directly connected.

So if you want to scroll back in the episodes, I would highly recommend listening to that one. Maybe I'll remake it. I'll put that in a note, actually. It's probably a good episode to bring back.

But anyway, carbohydrates. I already said protein is one of the important ones. They all are very important. But carbohydrates are what replenish your glycogen stores, which are, and should be, depleted during your strength training workout. Glycogen is the stored form of glucose in the muscles and the liver, and it's the primary fuel source during high-intensity workouts, during strength training and all the things. So consuming carbohydrates after your workout helps restore those glycogen stores.

What will most likely make you feel dizzy after you've worked out is that your glycogen stores are completely tanked. Your blood sugar has dropped. And how you can immediately replenish those glycogen stores is through carbohydrates. It's especially important if you have another workout within the next 24 hours, because you need to give your body the fuel to give you energy to perform those workouts.

So combining these two, carbs and protein, is just so important when it comes to pre-workout and post-workout. Specifically for post-workout, since that's what we're talking about in this episode, I think it's really important to aim for a ratio of three to one or four to one carbs to protein for optimal recovery.

Again, everyone's different. It's really hard to narrow down what everyone should be consuming, because individually everyone is different. But in terms of grams, it can look like anywhere from 30 to 50, if not more or less. I would say 30 or above is ideal. Some people like to bulk their carbs around their workouts and then leave carbohydrates on the lower end in their other meals throughout the day. I totally agree with that methodology too, where you're stacking the carbs pre- and post-workout, because you're giving yourself the fuel to go perform the workout, and afterwards you're replenishing the glycogen stores with as many carbs as you possibly can.

So there are literally totally different ways you can toot the horn, if that is even the reference. Pat the bear's back or something like that. I don't know. I'm probably saying that totally wrong. But you get what I'm saying. There are so many ways to do this.

Ladies, are you feeling frustrated with body changes you're experiencing during menopause? It's time to take control. If you're between 45 and 65 years old and tired of struggling with body fat and muscle loss, WarriorBabe is here for you. At WarriorBabe, we've helped over 18,000 women just like you lose body fat, build toned muscle, and understand their bodies better with personalized plans based on hormone and thyroid testing and more. Imagine knowing exactly what your body needs to see real results, and results that last. Don't wait anymore. Take charge of your health and join our community of strong, empowered women. Visit WarriorBabe.com/apply today to start your transformation. That's WarriorBabe.com/apply. All right, let's get back to the show.

As long as you understand the science behind it, you shouldn't be eliminating anything. You need these three key macronutrients and your micronutrients to perform, to think, to just function on a daily basis. Okay?

Ladies, are you feeling frustrated with body changes you're experiencing during menopause? It's time to take control. If you're feeling frustrated with body fat and muscle loss, WarriorBabe is here for you. At WarriorBabe, we've helped over 18,000 women just like you lose body fat, build toned muscle, and understand their bodies better with personalized plans based on hormone and thyroid testing and more. Imagine knowing exactly what your body needs to see real results, and results that last. Don't wait anymore. Take charge of your health and join our community of strong, empowered women. Visit WarriorBabe.com/apply today to start your transformation. That's WarriorBabe.com/apply. All right, let's get back to the show.

So I want to bring it back really quick. Some good carbohydrates I want to recommend for post-workout: you also want these to be fast-digesting sources. That could include sweet potatoes with your chicken. That could include rice. White rice is usually considered fast-digesting. It's a simple carbohydrate, and simple carbohydrates are what you want to go for here, because they get digested pretty quickly and hit your glycogen stores right away. So fruits, bananas, berries, anything fruit-like.

Some people even like to consume, and I throw this at some people, especially in the bodybuilding world, candy. Sour Patch Kids, gummy bears, anything like that. It's an immediate hit to the glycogen stores. I would specifically recommend quality sources of carbohydrates, but I just wanted to throw that out there. There's another way to toot the horn.

And the anabolic window that I brought up: as I mentioned a little earlier, the idea of it has evolved. The specific time frame post-workout when nutrient uptake is maximized has evolved. But it's still beneficial to consume a balanced meal within two hours after exercising. And as I said earlier, I personally wouldn't push into that two-hour mark.

However, I believe the timing is less critical than, as I spoke to, your overall daily intake of nutrients. Most importantly, consistency is key. Ensuring that you're hitting your macronutrient goals throughout the day is just as important as what you eat immediately following a workout. If there's anything to take away from this episode, I firmly believe it's that. Timing is less critical than making sure you're consuming your overall daily macronutrient targets consistently over days, weeks, and months. That's just as important as what you decide to eat following a workout, what time you eat it, how soon, and all of that jazz.

Now that we've talked through the science, I think that's really important to understand, because it gives you the why a little deeper: why post-workout nutrition is so important, what it's doing to fuel your body, and what type of results it's going to get you. Again, like I've said on the podcast, don't just listen to me. Actually apply these things. You understand the why now. You have the education. Now it's just about putting it into practice for yourself and doing it consistently over time.

So you have the science, right? But I want to get practical. I want you to have some actionable tips you can take away from this podcast to optimize your post-workout nutrition.

The first one, which I was going to mention earlier, is planning ahead. I think this is by far one of the most strategic things anybody can do: just have your meal right there post-workout. Have your post-workout meal or snack ready in advance. For me personally, I make my shake at home right before I go to the gym and I bring it with me. That way it's already in the car or my gym bag, and as soon as I'm done working out, all I have to do is drink it.

Same thing when I used to work in the ER. I would pre-plan all of my meals the night before and put them in the fridge, and in the morning I'd put them in my lunch bag and bring them to work. I would typically work seven to three or seven to seven. Following that shift, I would have my pre-workout meal ready to go, go to the gym, work out, and my post-workout meal would already be made, so I would just eat it right there. Again, I talk about the experience I've had, but I've also seen, with the women we've coached at WarriorBabe and personally, that planning ahead is one of the most successful strategies. It puts that in your control.

The second thing, which I've already kind of talked to, is choosing quality protein. Go for high-quality protein options like whey or plant-based protein. If you prefer a protein shake, add some carbs like a banana or oats to make it an overall balanced post-workout snack. I mentioned candy earlier, but I do firmly believe in choosing quality protein and carbs over processed anything.

I want to give you guys four or five tips here. The third thing I want to say is hydration is key. In the midst of all of this, post-workout, I think it's really important to make sure you're replenishing your body with water and keeping it hydrated, because you're losing fluids as you work out. So drink plenty of water. If your workout was particularly intense, as it should be, I love adding in LMNT. It's an electrolyte, to help with the recovery process.

The fourth: listen to your body. I can tell you guys to go have a protein shake. I can tell you to have a banana. I can give you these different post-workout meal ideas, but everybody's body responds differently. So pay attention to how you feel after you consume different types of post-workout meals. Some people thrive on the options I gave you. But some people thrive on a larger meal, because, as I talked about, their glycogen stores are so tanked that they could have a protein shake and a banana and be hungry an hour later. So some people thrive on a larger meal, like chicken and sweet potatoes immediately afterwards, which is a little more dense than a protein shake and a banana.

And the last tip: don't skip your meals. If there's anything else to take away from this podcast, do not skip your meals. If you can't eat immediately after a workout, please do not stress out. Just make sure you have a balanced meal within a few hours. So if you can't eat right away, or you forgot your protein shake at home and you're like, oh damn, all my work in the gym has been lost, it's okay. Don't stress out. Just make sure when you get home, you make something to eat.

The most important thing, as I said, is that you are consistently fueling your body with the right macronutrients it needs on a daily basis to recover, grow stronger and get you the results you want. Some of you may accidentally skip a post-workout meal or not get it right away. What matters most is that you are consistently, on a daily, weekly, monthly basis, hitting your macronutrient goals and targets. Like I said, I think that's more important than any type of time goal for eating a meal post-workout.

So those are five little tips. One, plan ahead. Two, choose quality protein. Three, hydration is key, so keep yourself hydrated. Four, listen to your body and what it's telling you. Does it need the protein shake and a banana, or does it need something a little heavier? How is your body digesting it afterwards? Just as everyone's different with the grams and breakdowns of protein and carbs they need, people are going to be different in the types of meals they consume on a daily basis. And five, don't skip your meals. Please don't skip your meals.

I'll tell you this. I'll never forget this story. I've told it maybe once or twice: the person who passed out when I was living in Bali. She had just gotten done with a workout, and I asked her if she ate anything before working out, and she said no. And I was like, okay, you need food immediately.

But there's another story I'll never forget, and I've heard this so many times. I think I've said it on a podcast before, but regardless, I'll bring it back. I remember coaching a WarriorBabe maybe a couple of years ago who didn't consume anything pre-workout or post-workout. She was wondering why she wasn't seeing results, and why she was so tired, fatigued, dizzy and lightheaded. She said, I can't eat food that early. She was an early morning workout person. I've had this question asked so many times: people get up at 4am and work out at 5am. And she said, if I eat, I feel like I'm going to throw up.

And I said, yeah, of course. Your body's not used to you eating at 4am. It's going to feel like a lot in the first couple of days, when you're trying to tell your body, hey, this is something new, here it is, listen up, follow along. So of course, for the first week or two that you're trying to implement something you've never done, especially feeding yourself at 4am, your body's going to be like, what is this? I don't like it. But trust me, once you apply it, go work out, and give yourself the post-workout nutrition afterwards, if you consistently do that for a week, two weeks, three weeks, your body's going to adapt and adjust. And it's going to adapt in a favorable way for you.

Because I remember this babe came back and said, thank you so much. I feel so much better. I'm actually seeing the results that I want. My muscles are filling up. They feel full when I work out. My skin feels tight, and I'm starting to see the results I didn't see when I wasn't fueling my body the right way. And I was like, yes, amen. Your body's saying thank you for feeding me. And she said, and I no longer feel like I'm going to throw up. I said, yeah, your body adapted. That's awesome. Keep going.

So if there's anything for me to tell you from these stories, and I've heard it over and over again from WarriorBabes and women we've coached: if you're struggling to eat first thing before you work out, or post-workout, just do it. Just try it out. See what it's like. Give your body the time to adjust, knowing that you may feel weird at first, but know that it's worth it, because you're going to feel stronger and you're going to start seeing the results you want that maybe you're not seeing now. Because, like I said, nutrition is one of the hardest things for people to implement.

So anyway, guys, there you have it. You have the science, and you have the practical tips for optimizing your post-workout meals and nutrition. And remember, what you eat after you work out is just as important as the workout itself. If you're fueling your body the right way and giving it the right nutrients, you're setting yourself up for better recovery and for muscle growth. With all of that being said, muscle growth is what gets you toned. It's what gets you the results, and it improves your overall performance. You're going to see this spill into other areas of your life where you're showing up better.

So thank you, guys. I hope you really enjoyed today's episode. I've really enjoyed bringing new episodes to you, this being one of the first. I think the other one was about the mental health aspect of what strength training can do for you. That was last Monday, I believe. But anyway, I'm going to keep these rolling moving forward. And until next time, guys, stay strong, eat your protein, eat your carbs, and keep crushing those workouts. All right, guys, see you in the next episode. Peace out.

Hey, guys, real quick. If you're interested in taking your body to the next level, losing body fat, building more muscle, and feeling more confident, do it alongside one of our 30-plus professional coaches. Work one-on-one with her to eliminate all of the guesswork you may have. All you need to do is the work she tells you to do to get to those goals of yours. To learn more, click the link below this podcast and apply to our VIP program right now.