Part II: Recovery Meals - The Key for Maximizing Muscle Gain

Part Two

Practical applications - How to design recovery meals with maximum capacity to promote recuperation and muscular development

Recovery meals should be specially designed to enhance immediate and long lasting recuperating effects.

Immediate recuperating effects.

To actually help promote an immediate recuperating effect, a recovery meal should take full advantage of the relative short time of the post exercise peak potential to assimilate nutrients and regenerate muscle cells. Therefore it should be theoretically ingested during the first 30 minutes, right after resistance exercise. Nevertheless, after prolonged intense drills it is recommended to wait 30 minutes - 1 hour before ingesting a recovery meal. The reason: extremely intense drills cause an accumulation of lactic acid in the liver which leads to a temporary state of insulin resistance. It is then recommended to wait for 30 minutes - 1 hour, let the body clear the lactic acid, regain insulin sensitivity and then have a recovery meal. Any further delay in the timing of the recovery meal may attenuate its full beneficial effect on the muscle and the recuperation process.

A post exercise recovery meal should provide fast releasing nutrients as well as slow releasing nutrients required for promoting both short term and long-term muscle hypertrophy.

For that matter, a post exercise recovery meal should provide the following nutrients.

• Protein with maximum biological value containing a blend of fast and slow releasing proteins such as whey combined with milk protein. Amount per serving should be between 10g - 30g (depending on training intensity and volume). The fast releasing proteins will help boost an immediate post exercise protein synthesis, whereas the slow releasing proteins will help sustain the already established anabolic state in the muscle tissue.
• Carbohydrates consisting of a blend of fast and slow releasing carbs, for inducing an instant insulin spike, followed by a steady slow carb release required for stabilizing insulin levels as well as maintaining an optimum level of blood sugar. As noted, insulin sensitivity increases after intense training and therefore 30 minutes - 1 hour after training would most likely be the best time to incorporate a recovery meal and take advantage of carbs-insulin anabolic and anti-catabolic effects. Post exercise fast releasing carbs (simple carbs) should immediately inhibit muscle protein breakdown. Then the slow releasing carbs (complex or fibrous carbs) will help maintain this anti-catabolic activity in the muscle tissue for a longer period of time (depends on amount of carbs ingested).

  Again, post exercise carb ingestion helps promote swift IGF1 actions in the muscles. As noted, post exercise increased levels of muscle IGF1 is believed to be the most immediate factor in muscle hypertrophy. The amount of post exercise carbs should be between 10g - 30g. Most of the carbs should come from a low glycemic complex fibrous source to avoid over-spiking insulin and undesirable blood sugar fluctuations. However, a small amount of simple carbs from natural low glycemic sources, preferably fructose free such as rice, malt or maple syrup, may help induce an immediate short-term insulin spike required to facilitate an immediate post exercise anti-catabolic effect. 5g of simple carbs will do the job. Any excess of sugar may cause insulin resistance, hypoglycemia and undesirable fat gain.

• Food containing IGF1

  As mentioned, increased IGF1 levels in the muscle tissue is one of the most influential determinates in muscle hypertrophy. Therefore, having food naturally high in IGF1 such as whey or Colostrum (highest in IGF1) may be exactly what the body needs to induce maximum anabolic actions right after a workout. Some individuals may be sensitive to bovine dairy, due to high levels of certain proteins - betalactoglobulins. In that case, it may be worth trying fresh dairy products from other sources such as goat, sheep or buffalo. Whole goat or buffalo Ricotta cheeses could be great sources of protein and IGF1. Food rich in IGF1 provides additional benefits. Both whey protein and Colostrum help enhance recovery by virtue of their highly potent immuno supporting globulins. These proteins help protect against infection or disease often associated with chronic prolonged strenuous exercise or over-training.

• Good Fat

  To support immediate and long-term anabolic actions, a recovery meal requires good fat. However, only certain kinds of fat could be truly beneficial. The best oils for immediate recovery are energy producing ergogenic oils such as MCT (medium chain triglycerides) from natural coconut oil, which have shown to convert to energy rather then body fat. Other good oils are monounsaturated fats such as those in nuts, seeds and olive oil. Naturally occurring fat in dairy protein is rich in IGF1 and therefore beneficial. EFA n-3 is obviously important by virtue of being both essential and anti-inflammatory. Nonetheless, n-3 can be added to the evening meal and doesn't need to be applied right after exercise. N-3 EFAs and monounsaturated oils help promote anti-inflammatory actions as well as steroid hormones actions. Fat slows the release of protein and carbs, thereby helping maintain steady levels of post exercise nutrient absorption required for short and long term anabolic effects.

  There are also special functional oils, such as lecithin that helps promote liver functions as well as support the brain-to-muscle neurotransmitter acetylcholine. It can also support the muscle's increased demand for phosphates after intense exercise.

  Note: stay away from rancid or hydrogenated oils, as well as omega 6 vegetable oils such as canola, corn, soy, safflower or rapeseed, which may promote estrogen, suppress recovery and cause fat gain.

Post exercise recovery meal sum up:

• Have a recovery meal within 30 minutes up to 1 hour right after your workout, to grant immediate post exercise anabolic and anti-catabolic effects.
• Recovery meals should ideally contain a blend of fast and slow releasing proteins and carbs, as well as good fat to support immediate and long-lasting anabolic actions.
• Most importantly: A viable recovery meal should always comply with the following parameters: All natural, Low glycemic, Great taste. If one of these parameters is compromised, the recovery meal will not be viable. For instance, a funky aftertaste is a sign of chemicals and an overly sweet taste is a sign of excessive sugar, both of which are detrimental to the viability of the meal and would harm the body's capacity to recuperate instead of supporting it.
• Post exercise recovery meals should be practical, handy and readily available right after the workout.
• To further promote an immediate anabolic impact, the protein component of the meal should be preferably rich in IGF1 (i.e. whole milk products, whey and Colostrum).
• Finally, recovery meals could be made from either fresh light and fast assimilating foods such as yogurt or kefir, or from specially designed all natural low glycemic protein products (i.e. shakes or bars)

The following are examples of good post-exercise recovery meals.

1. Berries and yogurt (8-16oz)
2. Combine 1 teaspoon of Colostrum with 4 tablespoons of protein shake containing fast and slow releasing proteins naturally supported with fast and slow releasing carbs and naturally sweetened.
3. Have a protein bar specially designed for recovery made with a blend of fast and slow releasing proteins derived from whey and milk as well as fast and slow releasing carbs such as rice syrup, oat bran and rice bran respectively, or immuno supportive fiber such as arabinogalactan. It should also contain good fat with minimum capacity to convert into body fat such as MCT oil or lecithin.

Again, protein bars and shakes could be very useful and handy as post exercise recovery meals, provided that they are free of chemicals, sugar alcohol artificial sweeteners, hydrogenated oils or toxins that may adversely suppress recovery, recuperation and growth.

Long-term anabolic effect - For maximum muscle regeneration

To support and help continue the anabolic effect of exercise, it is highly recommended to incorporate small recovery meals every 2-3 hours following the initial post exercise recovery meal. These small recovery meals are critically important, in particular for those who work out early in the morning. Nevertheless, in order to avoid undesirable fat gain, reduce the carb component of the meals, starting with the second recovery meal.

For instance, those who workout in the morning should have a recovery meal with carbs right after the workout to induce an immediate anti-catabolic effect via insulin activity. Following that initial post exercise recovery meal shake or bar, it is advisable to incorporate small protein meals (15-25g of protein with minimum carbs), such as plain yogurt, cheese, eggs or low carb no-sugar-added protein shake, every few hours to keep maintaining protein synthesis in the muscle tissues without adverse side effects. That way, one will be able to maintain high insulin sensitivity towards the end of the day and enjoy eating big nightly meals while taking advantage of insulin's anabolic effect with a minimum risk of fat gain.

Nightly meals

Nightly meals could be the most growth promoting meals, they should provide the extra calories and protein required for a long-term anabolic effect. It has been established that high calorie intake increases protein net utilization. Big nightly meals can also help enhance steroid hormones actions. Nightly meals should consist of all food groups with no chronic restrictions of carbs or fat. Nevertheless, certain food combinations work better than others. To minimize the risk of fat gain, simple carbs should not be combined with grains or fat, but only with protein foods. High fat foods such as nuts and seeds should not be combined with grains or sugar.

In conclusion

A recovery meal is a functional meal. It provides the body with nutrients that are required for enhancing an already stimulated anabolic state triggered by either nutritional stress or physical stress or both. Knowing how, and in particular when to incorporate meals can make the difference between a plateau and progress.

If you have been doing everything "by the book" and are still failing to improve muscularity and strength, it is very likely that a good recovery meal is your missing link.