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The foods we choose to refuel our body post-exercise is vital in meeting our body’s needs.

There is so much confusion about what to and what not to eat post-workout. The important thing to remember is that nutrition in general needs some clear and factual intelligence to make overall health better. If the other meals of the day are not executed properly, you will not achieve your goals from your workout.

Let’s make some sense of this confusing topic by discussing the main reasons why we workout. For me, and I think I speak on behalf of MOST of the world’s population, there are 3 main reasons to exercise:

1. Improve health
2. Improve body composition
3. Improve performance

We need to focus on what our body experiences during exercise in order to determine what nutrients are needed for the body. During an intense workout, we are breaking down muscle tissue (protein breakdown), essentially damaging the tissues. This sounds bad, but this is actually what makes us lean and muscular, stronger and fitter. But this damage needs to be repaired and the muscle rebuilt (protein synthesis).

Essentially, post-workout nutrition needs to do 3 things:

1. Replenish glycogen (our body uses fuel when exercising and uses our glycogen stores for fuel)
2. Stop protein breakdown (or catabolism)
3. Promote protein synthesis (build and repair)

Muscle building occurs when our body receives a positive protein balance during recovery. Protein synthesis is triggered (while protein breakdown is suppressed) when consuming the right type of nutrients after exercise. Let’s also remember that our body depletes stored carbohydrates (glycogen) during exercise, which need to be refilled, meaning our body NEEDS protein and carbohydrates post-workout.

During exercise and post-exercise, our blood circulates more rapidly to our muscle, especially the muscles being trained. If we strategically put the nutrients needed for building and repair into our bloodstream at the right times, our body will effectively be able to recover and replenish more efficiently.

This brings us to the “window” of opportunity. During this window, our muscles are primed to accept nutrients that can stimulate muscle repair and growth. Research suggests this window is opened immediately after a workout. While protein synthesis lasts for up to 4 hours, our body will receive the most benefit from nutrients within two hours after exercises. If you wait too long to refuel your body,  a decrease in glycogen storage and protein synthesis occurs.

So What Should I Eat?

Let’s recall what it is that we are trying to achieve with post-workout nutrition:

1. Replenish glycogen
2. Stop protein breakdown
3. Promote protein synthesis

This tells us we need carbohydrates to replenish and protein to prevent further breakdown and promote rebuilding.

BUILD AND REPAIR!

Because our window is small, we need to ensure we have quick digesting carbohydrates and quick digesting protein post-workout. Sources such as isolates and dextrose, or a recovery drink, are best taken at this time. You can make your own recovery drink with protein powder and dextrose or stick to whole foods such as fish and white rice. Whole foods digest slowly, which is why most fitness enthusiasts choose liquid post-workout over whole foods.

We want to continue to take advantage of the two-hour “window”, and therefore consume whole foods within two hours of exercising. Because we are still in prime building and repairing mode, we again want to have a quick digesting protein and some form of carbohydrates. I choose to eat complex carbohydrates here as I have already replenished my glycogen stores with a recovery drink and want to ensure I am not consuming too many calories that will in turn be stored as fat.

**Start with 30 grams of carbohydrates and 20 grams of protein for a recovery meal immediately following your workout.

Check out Blue Star Nutraceuticals for recovery drinks and protein isolates:
http://www.bluestarnutraceuticals.com/category/elite-protein

Join the discussion 102 Comments

  • iram Tariq says:

    Just a quick question regarding water intake right after the workout! should we or shouldn’t we? There is so much confusion so kindly calrify!

  • anne says:

    Could you please provide more examples of the types of foods ( carbs and protein) to ingest after a work-out? There aren’t many listed to chose from.
    Why white rice… and not brown rice??

    • Flavia says:

      White rice is high gylcemic. I use brown rice because I digest it better. If you can tolerate a quick acting carb, it will get into the muscle quicker and will be used for recovery.

      • Flavia says:

        I like using whole foods so I don’t always stick to the high sugar/high GI foods such as dextrose and white rice. Some people will have fruit, bread, rice cakes. What you should make sure to do is have carbs plus protein as soon as possible after your workout. I tend to do banana’s (b/c they are quick), oatmeal, rice, rice cakes, sweet potatoes. But, you will be better off to use a quick digesting carb such as dextose….although you don’t NEED to. I want people to understand the importance of carbs + protein post-workout above all else.

  • anne says:

    The BlueStar recovery drinks are predominantly “dairy based”. I do not consume dairy products. Can you make another suggestion for a recovery drink/protein isolates that is not dairy based?

    • Flavia says:

      There are a lot of products that don’t have dairy. I would go to a supplement store or a natural food store and you will be able to find rice protein..etc.

  • Sue neil says:

    Hi flavia, great article. Is the post workout meal different if doing strength training as apposed to a HiiT session? Sue

    • Flavia says:

      I don’t use any recovery drinks or recovery foods for HIIT. I use HIIT to keep fat off so I don’t need to do anything extra there…great question.

    • Linda says:

      Yes Great question!! Learning so much from this website!! great post

  • Susi says:

    Hi Flav,

    just a question. I eat healthily, one ingredient foods, non processed etc and am somewhat intrigued by your recommendatin of all these drinks and powders. Even with your approval, surely they are multi ingreidient AND necessarily processed to some degree?

    Thank you for your help,
    Susi

    • Flavia says:

      Likely. I use whole foods for the most part…but I do have protein powder 5x per week because I feel that it helps keep my muscles feed since I train with weights 5x a week. It is fast and I think it is the best route for me personally. I don’t tend to use dextrose or recovery drinks too often but certainly will when I am short on time.

  • Janice Willis says:

    Excellent information, Flavia — thanks so much!

  • Kelly says:

    Hi Flavia!!

    Great article. I current do your workouts at 4:30, after I am done I have a protein shake (1 scoop protein, 4oz almond milk and water), along with 1/2 cup (dry measure) oatmeal. Is this a good recovery meal or should I be having something different? I am sorry, I get confused when it comes to after workout meals. I use to just have a recovery drink that was 4:1 carb ratio, I am trying to stay away from that stuff since it has so many sugars and calories.

    Thank you so much for your great support and awesome workouts!!!
    Kelly

    • Flavia says:

      That is a good drink as long as you feel that it is promoting recovery. I use oatmeal sometimes too. The only thing I would change is the almond milk because fat +carbs shouldn’t be eaten in the same meal if you can help it. But, if it is working for you, keep doing it.

      • Kelly says:

        Hi and thank you for your advice. Do you think protein shake/water and 1/2 cup oatmeal is good enough or should I do protein shake/water with fruit instead?

        Also, are you calling all nut and nut butters fat?? Only reason why I ask is because doing the DSP she calls them proteins, because of the way they breakdown with my metobolism.

        Sorry to be a pest, just trying to get this right.
        Kelly

        • Flavia says:

          No problem. I categorize nut and nut butters as fat and don’t eat them with carbs (for the most part). I would mix your shakes throughout the week. Don’t always have the same. Using both would be great.

  • Lindsay says:

    For my protein shake I do 8 oz water, half a banana, 1/3 cup raspberries and blueberries and 1 scoop of protein powder. What do you think?

  • Holly says:

    Hey Flavia,
    I’m also still a little confused. After my workout, I usually just have one scoop of protein powder (26 grams of protein and only 3 grams of carbs-no sugars) with only almond milk, and this keeps me full until my next meal. Do I still need a carb?
    If so, I know you said that it’s not best to combine carbs + fat (almond milk), so should I use water instead of almond milk and add a fruit after my workouts?
    I just recently started adding protein powder into my diet because I’d like to gain some more muscle, and I’ve also heard it can help in weight loss. Thanks!

    • Flavia says:

      You should aim for 30 grams of carbs. Almond milk is ok but try to have it only 3 or 4 days a week and see if that makes a difference. If you are just interested in gaining muscle, leave the almond milk in and add carbs also.

      • Holly says:

        Two more questions…sorry…is it okay that the protein shake takes place of a meal for me?

        Also, I usually eat oatmeal before working out. What are your suggestions for pre-workout?

        Thank you very much. I really value your advice!

        • Flavia says:

          No problem. Oatmeal is good before a workout, just make sure you have some protein as well…always protein with EVERY meal. If you are trying to lose weight, stick to having carbs only post-workout until you reach your goal then add it before also. I tend to have egg whites and rice 1 hour before I workout…quick digesting protein + carb. If you have your protein shake immediately after you workout, you should eat within 1-2 hours (MAX) after that.

          • Holly says:

            Would cottage cheese be considered a good protein to eat before a workout? I usually add cinnamon and walnuts. What do you think if I try this instead of the oatmeal? Thanks!

          • Flavia says:

            Yes, that would be a great choice. You can always mix it up from day to day also.

  • Chuck S says:

    How about a peanut butter sandwich?

    • Flavia says:

      There are better options…fats and carbs should be eaten at different meals but I occasionally will have pb with my shake. Try to have this on occasion only and don’t forget the protein.

  • lalitha says:

    im not allowed to have any supplements.. i eat a bowl of green vegetable and a bowl of pulses.. is tht wrong?

  • nikki says:

    im a clean eater but nutrition is my weakness. ive always been confused what and when to eat.
    I get up at 4am and im at the gym by 445am before i start work at 7 (im a nurse as well).
    i currently have a protein shake b4 the gym then chicken salad post gym.
    obviously i have this around the wrong way.
    should i be having the protein shake immediatly after the gym, plus protein such as chicken and sweet potato before i start my shift??
    what would u recommend for b4 the gym when i wake up?? carbs? protein?
    hopefully i will eventually master my nutrional intake….

    • Flavia says:

      It depends because for you, you are up so early. If you can tolerate eggs or whole foods before working out, that is the better option. The chicken salad should be replaced with protein + carbs or just add some carbs along side the salad (this should be your 1-2 hours post-workout). Use the shake post-workout + carbs (or a recovery drink if using weights). You’ll get there if you understand the principals. **protien with EVERY meal, carbs post-wokout (only here if you are interested in fat loss). Those are the main points to start with.

  • Monika Mohamed says:

    Hi
    I don’t drink protien shakes n i dont know what is recovery drink . i do your workout at 7 am. I eat kamut boiled with water n blueberries with green tea. But kamut is a carb so thats wrong. after workout i have a toast with honey n greek yogurt 0 fat.Is it better if i dont eat before workout ?Monika

    • Flavia says:

      No, always eat before doing weights. The only think you are missing is the protein. Protein is actually the most important part of your pre and post workout meals.

  • Anna Smith says:

    I know you don’t need fat post workout, but as a snack later why do you not combine carbs and fat, like banana and PB, yummy πŸ™‚

    • Flavia says:

      Carbs create an insulin spike and causes storage. If you eat fats at the same time you could cause the fat to be stored. Now, that doesn’t mean to never eat them both at the same time. I still love banana’s and pb and will have them sometimes together. I just choose a time to eat te two together when I know my body needs calories and will use the calories instead of store the fat….that’s the quiclest way to explain πŸ™‚

      • Anna Smith says:

        ok, I understand thank you so much for all your help on my many questions i’ve posted πŸ™‚

  • felix says:

    My girl and i workout early in the morning(only time of day we can). What carbs would you get in there?

    • Flavia says:

      Oatmeal is a great breakfast or ezekiel cereal…this is made with sprout grain and is high in protein. You could also do greek yogurt with fruit and a protein shake.

  • Paula says:

    So I must be also doing it wrong, by reading your comments. I’m up at 5am drink 500ml water, start exercise around 5.30 finish around an hour later. I refresh myself then have my breakfast of 2 pcs fruit (mainly orange & apple) porridge(oats) with stevia and organic milk, 2 pcs wholegrain toast one with raw honey the other with vegemite and a poached egg. So basically a 3 course meal is my daily breakfast, obviously on my day offs I omit 1 pc of toast with the raw honey. I use vegemite(similar to promite) to replace salt and pepper, plus it provides me with a lot of B vitamins.

    • Paula says:

      sorry plus I also drink 250ml every 15min approx during workout and then afterwards as well.

      • Flavia says:

        Hey Paula, that seems like a lot of food post-workout. Can you have some before you workout? If you fill your body with too much in one sitting, you will be storing some calories as your body won’t need them at that time. What you could do is have the egg and toast before you workout….have a shake and fruit post-wokout. And an hour after that, have the oatmeal with some protein, or have the oats with the shake and fruit and have another meal 2 hours after that.

        • Paula says:

          Sadly I don’t have any shakes here, would another egg or greek yoghurt with the fruit post workout be sufficient? I’m guessing I’d have to wait an hour after eating before starting as well, rather than 1/2 hr, that’s the only hiccup as I try and get these out of the way before my children wake up. Don’t think I can handle getting up at 4.30, and heading to bed even earlier than I am(I try and hit the bed between 8.30-9.30pm each night before exercise)

          • Flavia says:

            That would be good, see how you feel when eating it and make adjustments if needed. If you have a lot of energy on an empty stomach and you are able to push yourself hard and it is working for you…keep doing it. I can workout right after a meal, I feel a little sick at times but I do it if I have to. Again, experiement and see how you feel

  • Clea says:

    Hi Flavia,

    When following the deadline diet, we do not eat carbs post workout, is this ok?

    Thanks,
    Clea.

  • Paula says:

    Thank you Flavia, I do have quite a bit of energy when I first rise up, it wanes as the day progresses I find that I can hold form and complete the exercises a lot easier first thing. I used to have a banana just before walking(many moons ago) but find having food in my stomach makes me a bit queasy when exercising like this.(discovered by trial and error) Plus on top of all this I feel so good afterwards, so much better then doing it later in the day and I find I am more organised to get things done throughout the day. Thanks again.

  • Daphne Washington says:

    I am a type 2 diabetic I work out at 4am 5 days a week. What is a good post work out meal for someone like me who is somewhat carb restricted?

    • Flavia says:

      You should be good with complex carbohydrates such as quinoa, sweet potatoes, brown rice…the carbs you have been told to eat for your diabetes. Add in some protein and that will be your post-workout meal πŸ™‚

  • Shellee Adkins says:

    HI Flavia,
    I am currently about to enter my 4th month of FBL and I love it. I have been following the deadline diet for almost 3 weeks and I have seen some results , not as great as I had hoped for. However, it seems that my training is spot on by utilizing FBL, but I am looking for a good resource in the kitchen to keep progressing , do you have any recommendations as far as cookbooks or meal programs designed for women to cut body fat and maintain. One another thing, after August I will have been doing FBL for 16weeks, is there a workout program you can suggest to keep building from what I have acheived thus far for women. Thank you so very much, you are such a blessing.

  • Anna Smith says:

    Hey Flavia,
    I have been doing FBL for about 16 weeks also, do I need to switch to a different program or is it ok to just keep doing FBL? I am using 10 – 15 lb dumbells on most things and do 15 reps on most, I really love your workouts!

    • Flavia says:

      You don’t need to switch. If anything add some HIIT a couple times a week. I will be posting some videos that you can swap out for a change of pace. Thanks and great job!

  • Anna Smith says:

    ok, great thanks! I will be looking forward to them! My ankles have been bothering me lately, they are worse when I first step out of bed in the morning, then I go ahead and exercise and they don’t really bother me while I’m exercising, then later on in the day if I’m just walking around they hurt. They also hurt if I do jumping jacks. I have still been doing all the FBL workouts and on day 2 when you sprint/walk I run up and down my driveway (I don’t have access to a gym) and my ankles don’t hurt while I’m running. I was wanting to add some HIIT but wasn’t sure if I should with my ankles, any suggestions?

    • Flavia says:

      Sure, stick to lunges and squats maybe some stairs? See if you can do stairs without pain. Or 20 sec of sprinting, 20 seconds of lunges or squats, 20 seconds rest and repeat. That may help

  • Anna Smith says:

    ok sounds great! I’ll do that thanks so much!

  • Anna Smith says:

    What about fat free milk mixed with whey and eat some fruit? that is what I usually have, that is the only time I have milk other than having plain greek yogurt some, is this ok?

  • Anna Smith says:

    ok, great! Thanks πŸ™‚

  • Lillie says:

    Good morning Flavia, I have read through all of these nutrition posts and they are so helpful but I still am a little confused, so forgive me if this is repeatitive for you. I recently purchased your program and am excited about all of the workouts and the great helpful tips. My question comes also from eating what, when. I know we are to have carbs post workout and do not mix fat with carbs, did I get that right? So I think my first question is, do you consider fruits and veggies carbs?
    If I do my strength training in the morning is a fruit smoothie with protien a good thing to have eight when I done to take care of my post workout protien need and breakfast? This is what I put in the smoothie ( open to changes and suggestions) 1/2 cup frozen fruit, 1/3 banana, 25g protien, green food, 1 tbl apple cider vinegar, 1/2 rice milk.

    So if I do my training in the morning and my carb in the morning I shouldn’t eat carbs the rest of the day?

    Another question is I love plain yogurt with honey and granola, but I am not sure where to fit it on to my day since the granola has so many carbs, what do you think?

    Next, if I do my strength training at night is my protien drink right after suppose to be a meal supplement for having dinner? If not how do I do an effective postwork out drink but not overload on calories so that I can still eat dinner? And if I do have that dinner to I put carb with the meal as well?

    Thank you for your time. I have been trying to chew through all if this. To be honest it’s the nutrition timing that can be so overwhelming for me. So I am extremely appreciative of your time and help.

    – Lillie

    • Flavia says:

      Yes, that’s right. 1.Veggies are free, meaning you don’t count their calories. Fruit, is a carb but if you have another one during the day, that’s ok but I reccomend 2 servings a fay. That is ONLY post-workout, one meal. Breakfast is another meal. This is fine for a post-workout shake! Yes, if you are interested in fat loss, carbs only after your workout. If you are having too much difficulty with this, add carbs only to one other meal before evening. plain yogurt with honey and granola-That is considered a post-workout carb…honey is high in sugar so make that a post-workout meal and you can alternate between the two.
      NEVER supp your meals for post-workout shakes. You should have a post-workout shake, then a meal 1-2 hours post shake. No matter what time you workout…post-workout shake, then eat 1-2 hours post-workout (both can have carbs and try not to have any other carbs throughout the day). Hope that helps.

      • Lillie says:

        Flavia this helps me so much. Thank you so much. Just one more question, what would you recommend eating right before a morning strength training?

        Lillie πŸ™‚

        • Flavia says:

          This is always tough because most people don’t have a lot of time to digest. But, I would likely have Ezekiel Cereal with some greek yogurt, maybe a few berries. Protein and carb. Or I would have egg whites and rice. If I was really trying to lose weight, I’d just have some protein and veggies, like an eggwhite omelette.

  • Heidi says:

    Flavia,
    if you have posted something like this before I apologize…there are just so many different blogs and so many comments.
    I love your workouts and have seen many changes that I am so happy with! However; I know I have GOT to step up in regards to my eating or I will never get those GREAT results that I want. I’ve seen all your recipes you submit, and thank you for that, but could you possibly give us some examples of what you eat in an average week (throughout the day). My problem is I cannot find good tasting things that I like enough to want to fix regularly…so I end up grabbing something sweet and bad for me on the way out the door. I do want to eat healthy but I need to know some more options because my mind is just blank on the subject. Breakfast is the hardest meal for me…and snacks. When eating cereal, Ive noticed that even the “healthier” ones have just as many calories and fat etc as do regular ole yummy cereals. Do you recommend any? thanks!!!

    • Flavia says:

      I will send out an email addressing these next week. Thanks for the questions and I will do my best to deliver. πŸ™‚

  • zeba says:

    Hi, I am a girl and i work out in the eve aroung 7.30pm for and hour or little more. I come back and eat pomgratenate , within one hr and a banana and thn a glass of milk after two hrs of workout with protien x. i eat my dinner at 6 with two chappati of wheat and an apple and a bowl of vegetable cooked indian style.i am tying to lose weight but feel weak if i skip meal. my bp goes low. is it ok

  • zeba says:

    i would like to know what i eat is ok and tht how can i lose weight 3kgs and not feel weak.I eat two chappati in the lunch at 1 ,salad,a glass of buttermilk and little vegatable again in indian style.i am a vegetarian.i eat three egg whites and a glass of milk, little oats and one small bowl of papaya in reakfast around 8 or 9 in morning. work out everyday.

    • Flavia says:

      I don’t know much about chappati, but I think it usually has whole wheat flour and all purpose flour which are both bleached flours that are not healthy and will keep you from losing fat. I also stay away from lactose, milk as our insulin spikes with lactose and there are much better sources of protein and vitamins. I would change the bread to a complex carb (brown rice), skip the milk and make a protein with water shake. Oats, papaya and eggs are great…one yolk with the egg whites will help to digest the eggs properly and have an enormous amounts of nutrients.

  • sylvia says:

    Hi, I would love that could you help me with my workouts because some days I see results and some days not, I’m a skinny girl and I would like to gain a little weight but when I get it my belly also increases and here is where I need help, can you tell me what to do and eat for this does not happen to me, because I want a belly flat and glute and legs like yours, thanks πŸ™‚

  • Paula says:

    Hello Flavia, I have a question…I’ve been weight training with a trainer for a lil over two months. When I started I was mushy but only about 8 lbs from my weight that I like to be in order to feel good in my clothes…I see a huge difference in my muscles arms, shoulders, biceps and abs looking good. Unfortunately I carry my weight in my thighs and bum. I’m not as mushy anymore and look way better naked πŸ™‚ but I’m also getting bigger in those areas too. My clothes don’t fit in thighs and butt!! I eat every couple of hours veggies, protein, carbs and supplement with whey mid morning and mid afternoon and casein at night before bed. 1200-1400 calories a day cut sugar to 10g a day….what can I do to get a lil smaller to be comfortable in my clothes and not loose my muscle I’ve gained? Help! Thanks….I appreciate your physique and would like to look like you!

    • Flavia says:

      Hey Paula, I would stick to low weights with high reps on the areas that you want to shrink. Keep on going and you will lose the weight eventually in those areas too. The “bad” areas will come in time….keep working hard and you will see your jeans a lot looser soon.

  • Tarb Oana says:

    Dear Flavia,
    I’ve started sport at 14 years , now i’m 22. Aerobics 2 years, karate 2, after i mixed aerobic corses in the last 3 years. From the weakest and clumsiest i became the best girl in every gim i’ve been and course i took.
    PERFECT! So what’s your problem? (u must be thinking).
    It doesn’t show…the muscles grow but are still covered by fat.
    I’ve read lots of books of nutrition, and slowly applied things.
    I train 5 times a week only evening (7 pm), 3 times aerobics(1h) + weight small mucsle group(30′), 2 times ,only weight muscle group.
    The meals i have are as u advice. But in the evening i only take a 30 g whey protein with 200 g milk, 8:30 and a bit yogurt, banana, cottage cheese at 22. I go to bed at 23:30.
    I’m not searching quick fixes as you might have realized…but what do i do wrong???
    It might not be all you need, to really tell the problem, but if u would just have a clue?! Sometimes i loose hope of ever looking good! I might be the best if i’m not the best looking.
    I want to see my muscles not only when i work out!!!
    I would definitely appreciate an advice.
    Thank you.

  • Viviane says:

    FlΓ‘via

    Do you consider fruit a carb? Therefore you dont mix An. Apple with almonds?

    • Anna says:

      Yes, fruit is a carb, therefore mixing apple with almonds is not optimal. πŸ™‚

    • Flavia says:

      Hey, yes I do consider fruit a carb and it’s not so much a don’t do, just don’t do it too often. I still
      like my apple with a bit of almond butter on it once in a while πŸ˜‰

  • ioana says:

    Dear Flavia, please help me a bit. I’ve just started a workout routine at the gym, because I want to build up some muscle and get rid of the fat and cellulite around my hips. But..as i am very tall and quite thin I hardly put some muscles on. I’ve been into fitness for 10 years now and I realize that my problem was always nutrition. i eat very healthy, but I tend to eat too little in order to put on muscle. Now, that i’m sticking to 5 meals a day (3 main and 2 snacks) I try to use protein powders. So I ordered two jars. One with 21 g protein/23g carbs and one jar of 100%whey protein. Can you suggest me how to drink them (if I have my workout at 3 a clock pm) and i usually get up at 9.30, and do 3 or 4 workouts per week? I also tried something with more carbs, but i ended up with a lot of fat..so I am quite afraid of drinking high carb drinks. and also, how many carbs and proteins do i need at 1.80m and 60kilos? please lighten me up. and also should I add one more day of cardio solo to get lean or is it enough with high weights? (i do quite a serious workout) Thanks a lot.
    PS Are you of Romanian origin? your name Dragos intrigued me..

    • Anna says:

      Hi Ioana,
      Flavia recommends getting most of your calories from whole foods. The first drink (one with 23 carbs) if it is a weight gainer I would not recommend it. It is probably loaded with fillers and added sugar. If you struggle to eat enough calories shakes are great if you make your own. Something like vanilla protein powder, oats, banana, and strawberries is yummy! Also, check out Flavia’s husband’s Vince’s website http://www.vincedelmontefitness.com He has tons of wonderful information to help gain muscle (which I have used myself with awesome results)
      If you want to do some HIIT to increase appetite and prevent fat gain that is good. No more than 3, 20 minute HIIT sessions per week.
      All the best!
      – Anna, CPT, FF Specialist

  • ioana says:

    Thanks a lot, Anna. I don t know what HIIT means, I am not a native English Speaker. kind of a cardio programme? the first drink, with 23 carbs is 100%natural whey and oat based (oat whey and oat fiber), no sugar added, only some flavouring (which is not good, I know). and it has 213 kcal. I can give up drinking it, but all the trainers in gyms used to tell me that i would never gain round and curvy muscles without carbs. In the past, i cut a lot of carbs and i became very thin and quite defined..but really too thin (looked like a Biafra girl). I also got angry once and tried a real weight gainer, something with a lot of carbs, and then I put on fat and cellulite. I try to find the balance between the two but I hardly manage.
    I l have a look on Vince’s website too. Thanks again.

  • Breanna says:

    I recently purchased a Carb Complex powder that contains 30 g of carbs per scoop. I typically will do 1 scoop of that and 1 scoop of my Whey Isolate post workout. Prior to the Carb complex I was doing a protein powder and a fruit( banana). What would you say is the better option for my post workout recovery?

  • Anna says:

    Hi Breanna,
    both of those are great carb sources to have post workout. You can alternate between the two.
    All the best!
    Anna, CPT, FF Specialist

  • Jabeen says:

    Hey,
    Thanks for the 30g carb 20g protein post wkout macronutrients
    what would you recommend for a pre workout meal?
    Thank you πŸ™‚

    • Anna says:

      A protein + vegetable meal would be best preworkout. So about 20 grams of protein from egg whites, chicken, or fish and 2 cups of your favorite veggie would be perfect! πŸ™‚
      All the best,
      Anna, CPT, FF Specialist

      • Jabeen says:

        Hey Anna,
        Seeing as I workout after breakfast, is it okay for me to treat my ‘protein and fats’ breakfast as my pre workout meal, as it includes 20g protein (beef) and 2 cups veggies
        Thank you πŸ™‚

        • Anna says:

          Absolutely, that would be perfect Jabeen πŸ™‚ Great question!
          All the best,
          Anna, CPT, FF Specialist

  • Jabeen says:

    Thank you Anna πŸ™‚

  • Renee says:

    Hi Flavia! Thank you for all of the wonderful advice that i’ve seen on here! I am new to this lifestyle and have been at it now for 1 month and i think i am doing pretty good. My trainer is great and i’ve also received an eating plan. One of my questions is about breakfast. I normally eat it around 8:30AM and go to the gym at 11:30AM for my first workout, which is typically when i lift. I am still working on leaning out. Is having 4egg whites, 1/4th cup of oatmeal and berries a good breakfast? Or should i cut out the berries? Also, before i workout, i normally do a protein shake and almonds. However, after reading your comments, it looks like i should have a protein and veggies pre workout and a protein and complex carb post workout. Is this ok? And how should i eat my protein and veggie before working out? Also, as far as my drinking my recovery BCAA’s, should i drink this post workout, along with my protein and carb, 1-2 hours after drinking my protein shake? Thanks in advance for answering my million and one questions πŸ™‚

    • Anna says:

      Hi Renee,
      Good job on starting your healthy lifestyle, sounds like you’re on the right path! You’re breakfast sounds good. You may want to try having protein and fat for breakfast and see how you feel doing that. Some people do better with carbs in the morning and some do better with protein and fats to stabilize their hormones. You’re correct about protein and veggies pre workout, you could have a protein shake with a few veggies, egg whites and veggies, fish or chicken and vegetables. You can drink BCAAs during your workout to promote recovery or immediately after.
      Hope this helps πŸ™‚ All the best!
      Anna, CPT, FF Specialist

  • Daphne Washington says:

    Greetings,
    On the days that I am only doing my cardio should I have a post work out meal and if so what would be good (I am also type 2 diabetic no meds)? And should I have a pre workout something prior to starting my workout. My work out time vary. On my days off 3 days a week I work out at 5am on my work days I work out at 5pm. I do cardio only 3 days a week and I strength only 2 days a week and on Saturday I do weights first and then 20muinutes of Cardio at the end.

  • Ceili says:

    Hi Flavia! I am currently in college and I have a jogging class three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday. I am curious what I should eat after this cardio workout. On the days that I have this class, I also weight train in the gym around 3:00. After that workout I usually drink 30g of whey isolate and 1/3 cup of oatmeal. My real question is should I have the same post workout meal after my cardio that I have after my weight training? Also, is my post workout meal alright? Thank you so much!

  • Hope Shultis says:

    Unfortunately, reading theses ?’s only has confused me more. Ugh!

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