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If trying to gain muscle would you say its important to eat in the 1 hour window after a big lift???
Mattew87
New member
This is a very technical topic and deserves an adequately technical and reasoned answer.
The hours immediately after training is an old school myth. Specifically, during this short period of time the intake of particular nutrients, primarily proteins / aminoacids and carbohydrates, is hypothesized to contribute to the increase of muscle mass, performance, recovery of muscle glycogen stocks, and inhibition of possible muscle catabolism. Recent studies suggest that the anabolic window has a duration that goes far beyond the 2 hours following the exercise.
Hydration is extremely important at the cellular level. Muscle growth is in fact inhibited by dehydration. So drinking lots of water during the day is part of the game.
Also as regards the reconstitution of glycogen, the increase in insulin sensitivity extends at least up to 24 hours after the end of the activity...
It's what you do all day, every day, that makes the difference, not what you do an hour after your workout.
The hours immediately after training is an old school myth. Specifically, during this short period of time the intake of particular nutrients, primarily proteins / aminoacids and carbohydrates, is hypothesized to contribute to the increase of muscle mass, performance, recovery of muscle glycogen stocks, and inhibition of possible muscle catabolism. Recent studies suggest that the anabolic window has a duration that goes far beyond the 2 hours following the exercise.
Hydration is extremely important at the cellular level. Muscle growth is in fact inhibited by dehydration. So drinking lots of water during the day is part of the game.
Also as regards the reconstitution of glycogen, the increase in insulin sensitivity extends at least up to 24 hours after the end of the activity...
It's what you do all day, every day, that makes the difference, not what you do an hour after your workout.
It's been discussed before. If it makes a difference it's a very small one and only works if you train over many years.
That anabolic window theory has been debunked long time ago. It's not like that whole gym session was a waste if you didn't get your protein shake down x minutes after you finished. That's just silly.
As long as you are hitting your daily caloric intake you're fine.
As long as you are hitting your daily caloric intake you're fine.
Yes I agree
this is a great topic for our podcast. i think we all agree that the 'eating in a window' after your workout is bullshit. it was created during the 80's to sell people fart powders so they would drink them after their workout
what we don't agree with though is that food grows muscles. that just isn't true at all. eating more food to grow more muscles will just make you fat. the truth is you build muscle mass over the long term from proper weight training. people who eat too much food end up being perma bulkers
what we don't agree with though is that food grows muscles. that just isn't true at all. eating more food to grow more muscles will just make you fat. the truth is you build muscle mass over the long term from proper weight training. people who eat too much food end up being perma bulkers
Mattew87
New member
Can you explain yourself better? are you saying that it is possible to build muscle in calorie deficit?
The caloric amount is necessary to build muscles, clearly every single calorie must come from the correct, clean and healthy food.
A more accurate reply is 'not as much as we think'. There's no way on earth someone (lean) weighing 200lbs needs the same as a 300lb person all other things being equal. But, as per the more accurate comment, one doesn't just add a 1000 calories a day and expect to add pounds of muscle.
You can build muscle in a calorie deficit. 100%.
Your body's energy needs come from stored adipose tissue. The amino acids in your diet repair and build new muscle tissue
Eating before you train is just as beneficial as eating after you train.
Mattew87
New member
It is very interesting, but at this point I would say that it is a plausible theory for a beginner / intermediate user, certainly not for an advanced athlete..
Do you agree?
ABSOLUTELY you can build muscle in a calorie deficit.
muscle is built from weight training, not from food.
you can eat a very minimal diet and still grow plenty of muscle if you lift and resistance train.
let's not mix up water in the muscles to actual muscle tissue growth.. not the same thing. someone at your gym who is a perma bulker and just has round muscles and bloated does not necessarily have more muscle than a lean and ripped guy who eats 1/4th of what the perma bulker eats
It's not a theory. The problem with the way studies work is the conditions. For example even an advanced person can too. But what if they were only rebuilding and replacing muscle lost.
I would never advice anyone who wants to gain muscle to any noticeable rate or degree being on a caloric deficit diet. That's the silliest idea I've heard in a long time.
Most of guys who try that approach are gonna end up spinning their wheels and looking exactly the same year after year until they burn out or give up due to not seeing any results.
Most of guys who try that approach are gonna end up spinning their wheels and looking exactly the same year after year until they burn out or give up due to not seeing any results.
And I am f#cking serious and mad right now. If you consider yourself as a bodybuilder and you want to put on size you stop playing around and go out there lift some heavy a$$ sh*t and you come home and eat like f#cking man.
That's how you put slabs on meat on your frame, not starving yourself on a f#¤cking concentration camp diet.
Amen.
That's how you put slabs on meat on your frame, not starving yourself on a f#¤cking concentration camp diet.
Amen.
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