Post workout meal dilemma

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MietekFogg

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Hi all 👋

I’m currently 3rd week on Reta at 1mg pinned once a week. It’s working great and scale is going down nicely. I’m working out 6 times a week. I try to eat 3 meals a day being breakfast at 7 then brunch at 10ish and lunch at 13.30. Then that’s it for me for the day so I can stay in a fasted state but I normally go to the gym after work and start my training around 5. Training lasts between 1-2h, mixed cardio with resistance training.

So the question is as I’m reading a lot about losing muscle mass during Reta : would taking protein (post workout shake) or having a proper meal when im back home be more beneficial overall? I don’t want to spike insulin with another meal and stop fasted state but on the other hand I am aware of the need for protein after working out. Any insight or personal experience much appreciated. Thanks
 
For me, the protein after workout is non-negotiable. I have enough trouble getting enough protein in a day anyway and avoiding muscle loss is even more important than shedding pounds currently. As long as you keep losing a pound or two a week, all is good.
 
Short answer is yes. Especially with strength training post workout carb within 30 minutes is very important to restore glycogen stores. Protein within 2 hours for muscle building and repair is essential as well. Your body recovers and build muscle overnight and needs fuel to perform this task. I would say if you can move your workout to the morning, or shift your eating patterns.
 
There are tons of studies with some conflicting results/opinions regarding timing of protein intake. Your muscle protein synthesis will start going up after your workout and peak about 24 hours later. I've started periodizing my food intake based on this. I'm old and am down to 2 resistance training sessions per week, but they are long, hard and full body. My muscles still recover pretty well but other connective tissue takes 6-7 days to recover from strenuous work.

I workout in the afternoon almost always so I try to carb up a little 1-3 hours before the workout (a very recent study suggested carbing pre-workout is quite a bit more important than carbs post workout, just to ensure your glycogen stores have some fuel on hand for a better workout). I then try to get at least 30g of protein within 1 hour post-workout, which is the one thing almost all the studies on protein timing for muscle synthesis agree is important. Then for the 24 hour period post workout I eat pretty liberally. If I'm going to partake in any junk I do it during this window, but I mostly try to keep it healthy whole foods with high protein. This essentially gives me 2 cheat/refeed days per week.

After the 24 hours I switch back to an AMPK focus (low carb, AMPK helpers such as MOTS-C/SLU/ATX-304) until my next 24 hour mTOR session. I'm about six weeks into this strategy and it's working great for me so far on my home stretch to my goal. I've lost six pounds this way after being stalled around 212 for a few months (goal of 199.9).
 
psycho_driver said:


There are tons of studies with some conflicting results/opinions regarding timing of protein intake.

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There are, and there’s a difference between being in a caloric surplus and a deficit. If you’re overfed I think the timing is much less critical. But, weight training is initially catabolic. IMO, if you are in a significant deficit, you should absolutely be prioritizing your carbs before workout and protein post… with some carbs tossed in to help with nutrient uptake.

If I’m not eating a meal within an hour post workout I’m grabbing a shake or at the very least a bar.
 
I'm not aware of a study on protein and carb intake pre and post workout for people on GLPs. I have a real hard time believing it matters due to the slowing digestion.
 
MikeyMike said:


Short answer is yes. Especially with strength training post workout carb within 30 minutes is very important to restore glycogen stores. Protein within 2 hours for muscle building and repair is essential as well. Your body recovers and build muscle overnight and needs fuel to perform this task. I would say if you can move your workout to the morning, or shift your eating patterns.

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Definitely move the workout to the morning 👍
 
Protein shake after gym. I double the scoops to water have it extra thick just knock out 60g of protein for the day. If I'm feeling particularly bite needy towards the end of my dose I have a hard boiled egg.

I have serious Proustian Madeleine effect where hard boiled eggs trigger childhood memories of order of the arrow ordeal shivering in a dew covered field eating a hard boiled egg.

Protein shakes are the only way to make it to goal without significant calories just get it to where you meet your goals and stay hydrated. You do need some fuel regardless of what the reta tells your body
 
as long you take a minimum of 100g of protein no mather when in the day and train you wont loose any muscle

i did a 2 weeks without and solid food and less than 50g of iso protein in that period cause of insane GI issue on reta

i lost 5% strenght ... and got it back in less than 1 week of the refeed

and no need to train 6 days a week

get a least 2 days for recovery
 
Protein shakes post workout are great especially to ensure hitting protein goals if you aren’t doing it (1 gram per kg of desired weight) . If you are I don’t think it’s crucial but it will certainly help with protein synthesis at night. . I won a gym contest once and I exercised fasted in the early am and didn’t eat until lunch and still gained 1 kg of muscle and lost 6 kg of fat. You can achieve a lot without following an ideal. —personally I would rather burn body fat than replenish glycogen stores pre or post workout as your body doesn’t build them up when you are in a calorie deficit anyway. Burn body fat instead!
 
U really shouldn't underestimate protein timing, especially after training. Not eating protein and carbohydrates after a hard workout increases the risk of ending up in a more catabolic state and can negatively affect recovery.

No offense, but fasting for 12 hours after a hard 1–2 hour workout is far from optimal if ur goal is to maintain or build muscle. The benefits of staying fasted are often overstated, especially in this situation. Ur not going to burn more fat just because u skip your post-workout meal

Resistance training increases muscle protein synthesis and activates mTOR signaling. If you don't provide amino acids afterward, that anabolic signal is limited. AMPK activity increases and shifts the body more toward energy conservation and fuel utilization rather than maximizing muscle protein synthesis which is the key benefit of weightlifting

That doesn't mean u will l instantly start burning muscle instead of fat, but it is a less effective strategy for muscle retention and body recomposition compared to consuming adequate protein after training.
 
MietekFogg said:


Hi all 👋

I’m currently 3rd week on Reta at 1mg pinned once a week. It’s working great and scale is going down nicely. I’m working out 6 times a week. I try to eat 3 meals a day being breakfast at 7 then brunch at 10ish and lunch at 13.30. Then that’s it for me for the day so I can stay in a fasted state but I normally go to the gym after work and start my training around 5. Training lasts between 1-2h, mixed cardio with resistance training.

So the question is as I’m reading a lot about losing muscle mass during Reta : would taking protein (post workout shake) or having a proper meal when im back home be more beneficial overall? I don’t want to spike insulin with another meal and stop fasted state but on the other hand I am aware of the need for protein after working out. Any insight or personal experience much appreciated. Thanks

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The below comment about conflicting data is right. Another way to put it, approaches to this are like assholes, everyone has one. I personally believe you have to find what works for you so the diet and exercise are sustainable. What I have learned, when I do a lot of cardio, I am one cranky dude if I don’t get some carbs. So I eat 130 calories of a small portion of either oats or oatmeal with blueberries. I always drink shakes throughout the day even when in a serious calorie deficit or on keto. Good luck!
 
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