Team Spartan: Post Workout Nutrition and other eating hints

This one is targeted at the SPARTAN team (currently killing themselves in the gym every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 5:30am...but applies equally to a lot of other hard working gym goers.

I have been (trying) to watch the SPARTAN crew as they leave the gym and having been noticing too many of them reaching into their gym bags for a quick post-workout shake or snack.  And that's OK - there are a heap of studies out there that show it is TOTAL protein consumption during the day that matters and the concept of 'protein timing' is flawed.  But there's always a BUT.

The SPARTAN guys in particular are working super hard for a really compressed period of time - intensity is certainly UP...and for a number of the participants, they are training at a time of day that their bodies are not familiar with.  So they are going to need a little bit of a nutrition boost to enable them to recover properly, maximise the benefits of the training in terms of muscle growth AND be ready for the next workout (which is never more than a day away!).

So if you aren't a protein shake person - and that's fine because I probably cap out at 1x shake per week myself mainly because I just find 'food' more satisfying/satiating - this might be the time to make a bit of an exception.  OR, you could just pack yourself half a banana and a small tub of natural yoghurt to eat immediately after your session...that way, by the time you are home and showered, you will be ready for your 'normal' breakfast and will have already captured that little nutrition boost you need for the day (given the extra training you are doing).  If you aren't sure WHAT you should eat and are inspired by Rocky, you could always do this:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhkdLHSKo9s.  (Or just ask one of the trainers for some ideas!)

This quick post workout meal FOLLOWED by your normal breakfast when you get home will also really help avoid those afternoon 'flat spots'  - those times you are just feeling 'tired' late in the day simply because you aren't getting enough food EARLY in the day...

Anyway, I didn't want this to turn into a 'just eat breakfast' lecture (so I wont) but if you are regularly feeling tired LATE in the day then it's probably because you aren't eating enough early in the day - or aren't eating a broad enough range of foods (each meal consisting of proteins, carbs and healthy fats) then there is an easy solution - eat a good breakfast AND eat a good lunch.  

That's it.  Have a good think about packing a protein shake in your gym bag each day - particularly you guys on the SPARTAN program - and if you are feeling tired every afternoon, make some adjustments to your morning nutrition.

See you in the gym,

Michael.