Post Workout shake or meal?

[Hector Gonzalez]

Just curious as to which is more beneficial, drink a shake or eat a meal? I've had people tell me it's better to drink a shake after a workout, and yet some tell me it's better to have a good meal afterwards.

[Mark E. Wallace]

Good, real food always trumps processed anything.

- Mark

[Michael E Tancini]

You want something that your body can absorb rapidly. Whether that is a Shake or food. Meaning if you go food you want food that is pureed or blended up or something like yogurt. As long as you get your Carbs + Protein post workout either one works. Just limit fat directly post wod, it inhibits the speed of protein/carb absorption.

Personally, I would rec. going with a whey isolate mixed with a Carb drink (milk/Coco H2O, Gatorade..etc). If you want to stay away from Powders, grab yourself a Fat free Choc milk. Choc. Milk has a very good Carb:Protein ratio thats almost ideal for muscle growth and to replenish your glycogen stores.

Get yourself a shake post workout/or choc milk, within 30mins post wod. then Make yourself a good filling meal when you get home. (breakfast/lunch/dinner). IF your lactose intolerant, buy the lactaid Choc milk.

[Hector Gonzalez]

Alright, thanks for the input guys

[Joseph Regan]

Drink a shake consisting of quality protein and some quality carbs immediately after working out. It helps to stop any catabolism from your workout as well as shuttle needed nutrients into your muscles. Then about an hour later eat a good sized meal consisting of a quality meat or protein source, as many veggies as you want and this is the best time to have your carbs in the form of sweet potatoes or rice. This has work greatly for me.

[Kris Fobes]

Originally Posted by Michael E Tancini

Personally, I would rec. going with a whey isolate mixed with a Carb drink (milk/Coco H2O, Gatorade..etc). If you want to stay away from Powders, grab yourself a Fat free Choc milk. Choc. Milk has a very good Carb:Protein ratio thats almost ideal for muscle growth and to replenish your glycogen stores.

Why would you recommend an isolate? A whey protein isolate is like taking a luxury car and stripping it of everything but the engine. Thus providing 90% engine(protein)... as opposed to a Whey Protein Concentrate where you get the engine(protein) and all of the luxury(good stuff in protein) that originally came with the car. Whey protien isolate means that the living part of the protein has been removed. This is different from a Whey Protein Concentrate, which maintains the full range of the fragile immune-boosting and tissue regenerative components naturally present in fresh raw milk and colostrum, such as immunoglobulins, lactoferrins and lactoferricin.

[Joey Shishineh]

both. I hit a shake right after and then eat another meal as soon as I get to work. My 'shake' is real food - (whole milk, whey protein, banana, oats) just in liquid form for convenience.

[Jeremy Schultz]

Originally Posted by Kris Fobes

Why would you recommend an isolate? A whey protein isolate is like taking a luxury car and stripping it of everything but the engine. Thus providing 90% engine(protein)... as opposed to a Whey Protein Concentrate where you get the engine(protein) and all of the luxury(good stuff in protein) that originally came with the car. Whey protien isolate means that the living part of the protein has been removed. This is different from a Whey Protein Concentrate, which maintains the full range of the fragile immune-boosting and tissue regenerative components naturally present in fresh raw milk and colostrum, such as immunoglobulins, lactoferrins and lactoferricin.

Agreed. The only good reason that I know of to waste money on an isolate is because they are generally much lower in lactose, a benefit for those who are intolerant.

[Michael E Tancini]

Originally Posted by Kris Fobes

Why would you recommend an isolate? A whey protein isolate is like taking a luxury car and stripping it of everything but the engine. Thus providing 90% engine(protein)... as opposed to a Whey Protein Concentrate where you get the engine(protein) and all of the luxury(good stuff in protein) that originally came with the car. Whey protien isolate means that the living part of the protein has been removed. This is different from a Whey Protein Concentrate, which maintains the full range of the fragile immune-boosting and tissue regenerative components naturally present in fresh raw milk and colostrum, such as immunoglobulins, lactoferrins and lactoferricin.

Whey Isolate has a higher Biological Value, meaning a higher percentage of the protein will be utilized by the body. I recommended mixing with Milk or Choc Milk. Getting you the best of both worlds.

1) Whey Isolate
2) Whey from the Milk
3) Casein From the Milk
4) Carbohydrates from the milk (even more if you go with Choc.)

You get an extremely fast absorbing protein that is almost completely absorbed and used by the body. You get a slower Digesting Casein protein from the milk which helps feed you over an extended period of time. Then you get the CHO from the milk or milk+choc which helps increase protein synthesis and the combination of protein + CHO helps replenish Glycogen depletion and increase protein synth. better than simply taking a CHO drink or simply taking a Pro only drink directly after. Glycogen gets depleted during your training. Also you get the nutrients from the milk. I would go with Skim milk directly after, due to Fat slowing the absorption of PRO + CHO when you need them.

Now spending money on the Hydrolyzed Whey isolate is a waste of money due to the biological Value being pretty much the same as regular Whey isolate.

[Chris Mason]

Or you could just buy a protein that has 3 forms of whey (isolate, concentrate, and hydrolyzed), casein, and egg proteins already... Where or where would one find such a product?