If you\u2019ve spent any time around a weight rack, you\u2019ve likely heard people talking about \u201cthe anabolic\u00a0window\u201d\u2014that brief period during which your muscles are especially receptive to protein after a workout. It can last anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes depending on whom you ask, but the advice is always the same: If you want to pack on lean mass, it\u2019s critical that you consume protein\u2014preferably in the form of a shake\u2014during that window. Miss it, and you\u2019ll never chisel a six-pack or stretch the limits of your shirtsleeves.<\/p>\n
Recent studies, however, suggest a slightly less rigid reality. \u201cThe window is not as fleeting as many people believe,\u201d says Brad Schoenfeld, Ph.D., C.S.C.S., author of\u00a0M.A.X. Muscle Plan. \u201cDepending on when you had your last meal, you may have hours, not minutes, to maximize muscle building by eating protein.\u201d<\/p>\n
In short, the latest research indicates there\u2019s no need to rush your consumption of protein after a workout (unless you haven\u2019t eaten for a while\u2014more on that in a bit). But the fact remains: Your muscles need protein, and lots of it, to grow. So how can you be sure you always have enough in your system to optimize your gains from each workout\u2014regardless of whether you prefer to pound the pavement or pump iron? Follow these five simple rules.<\/p>\n
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There\u2019s no denying that people who drink post-workout shakes tend to reach their goals faster. Indeed, a recent\u00a0study\u00a0in the\u00a0American Journal of Clinical Nutrition\u00a0found that those who consumed them for 12 weeks gained two more pounds of muscle than those who didn\u2019t. (That\u2019s a big part of the reason why Beachbody pushes this protocol with\u00a0Beachbody Performance Recover.) But that post workout shake becomes even more important in the context of boosting your total daily protein intake, says Schoenfeld.<\/p>\n
Like every other tissue in your body, your muscles are in a constant state of renewal, and every time you work out, you cause the protein in them to break down and build up faster than normal. The technical term for this process is \u201cprotein turnover,\u201d and as long as the latter part of the equation (i.e., the build up, AKA \u201cprotein synthesis\u201d) exceeds the break down (or catabolism), your muscles are remodeled into bigger and stronger versions of themselves. The best way to ensure that happens is by eating more protein. \u201cYour muscles are especially receptive to it after a training session,\u201d says Schoenfeld. \u201cBut they remain receptive for more than just 30 minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n
In a\u00a0meta-analysis\u00a0in the\u00a0Journal of the International Society of Sports Medicine, Schoenfeld and co-author Alan Aragon showed that the window actually lasts from four to six hours. \u201cProtein synthesis peaks within that time period, but your body remains sensitized to protein for 24 hours,\u201d says Schoenfeld. That\u2019s why total daily consumption is just as\u00a0important as\u00a0specific nutrient timing, and why you don\u2019t have to stress if you forget to drink a\u00a0protein shake immediately after a workout. As long as you consume it within a reasonable amount of time after your last rep, you\u2019re good.<\/p>\n
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According to a recent CDC\u00a0survey, the average guy consumes about 102 grams of protein per day, and the average woman consumes about 70 grams per day. While that\u2019s nearly twice the amount recommended by the Institute of Medicine, some experts feel it\u2019s not nearly enough if you exercise intensely, regularly, and with the intent to build muscle. \u201cConsume at least 1 gram (and up to 1.4 grams) of protein per pound of lean (fat free) mass per day,\u201d suggests Schoenfeld.<\/p>\n
Many scales will give you both your total weight (AKA total body mass, or TBM) \u00a0and your body fat (BF) percentage. To calculate your lean body mass, multiply your TBM\u00a0by your BF percentage, and then subtract that number from your TBM. If you\u2019re a 165-pound man in decent shape, your lean body mass will be\u00a0about 135 grams. If you\u2019re a moderately-fit, 120-pound woman, that\u2019s about 95 grams. That might sound like a lot, but when you divide it among three or four meals, it becomes entirely manageable. \u201cSpreading your protein throughout the day is key,\u201d says Schoenfeld, \u201cas is eating enough of it at each meal.\u201d<\/p>\n
Most people backload their protein, eating more carbs early in the day and more protein later on. But distributing your protein intake evenly amongst several meals can elevate protein synthesis by up to 25 percent, according to a recent\u00a0study\u00a0in the\u00a0Journal of Nutrition. \u201cProtein is inherently anabolic,\u201d says Schoenfeld. \u201cWhen you eat a protein-rich meal, it promotes protein synthesis [i.e., muscle building] for up to six\u00a0hours afterward.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shoot for about .25 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight per meal. \u201cThat\u2019s the amount that seems to optimize anabolism,\u201d says Schoenfeld, adding that eating more won\u2019t hurt, but it won\u2019t help, either. \u201cYour body can only synthesize so much.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\u201cConsuming protein every five\u00a0to six\u00a0hours is optimal for muscle building, and training anywhere in that window is fine,\u201d says Schoenfeld. So if you eat a protein rich lunch at noon, work out after you leave the office at 5pm, and then eat a protein rich dinner by 6 p.m., you\u2019re good. But life rarely cooperates with such a strict schedule.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s another reason why a post-workout shake often makes a lot of sense,\u201d says Denis Faye, Beachbody\u2019s senior director of nutrition content. \u201cProtein synthesis may remain elevated for hours after you work out, but if you haven\u2019t eaten for hours, and dinner is still an hour or two off, your muscles won\u2019t have enough of the building blocks they need to capitalize on that post workout window\u2014no matter how brief or long it is.\u201d<\/p>\n
Look for shakes with at least 20g of protein (like\u00a0Beachbody Performance Recover). In a study at McMaster University, researchers found that dose to \u201cmaximally stimulate muscle protein synthesis.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\u201cIf you train fasted\u2014which is what you\u2019re doing if you work out first thing in the morning\u2014you\u2019re training in a catabolic state,\u201d says Schoenfeld, explaining that since your body doesn\u2019t store protein for later use, there won\u2019t be enough to skew protein turnover in favor of protein synthesis. The result: More muscle breakdown than build up. \u201cSo you definitely want to consume protein within an hour of exercising in the morning,\u201d he explains. And the most efficient way to do that is with (you guessed it) a protein shake.<\/p>\n
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Most people talk about protein supplementation in the context of strength and power training, but here\u2019s the thing: Endurance athletes build muscle, too. If you\u2019re a runner or a cyclist, your muscles might not be as large or as defined as those of a sprinter or a bodybuilder, but they\u2019re made of the same stuff (protein), and need to be fed the same stuff (protein) to grow stronger and become more efficient at producing energy and resisting fatigue.<\/p>\n
Like strength training, endurance workouts also stimulate protein synthesis, according to researchers at Ball State University. In their\u00a0study, protein synthesis increased 50 to 60 percent in the hours immediately following a 60-minute bike ride at a moderate pace. Feeding your muscles protein during those hours can help you boost your endurance and become a stronger, more formidable athlete. You\u2019ll also bounce back from workouts faster, reducing the amount of time you need to recover between them, according to another\u00a0study\u00a0by the same researchers.<\/p>\n
Bottom line: It doesn\u2019t matter what type of exercise you do\u2014increasing your protein intake is one of the smartest moves you can make to maximize your performance.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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