Q and A

These questions were just posed regarding a recent blog entry. My answers follow each question in italics.

I read your article/blog on recovery meals. I have also read the Anti-Estrogenic Diet.

1) In your recent blog, you seem to say that after heavy exercise consume the recovery meal within 30 minutes and after intense drilling wait at least 30 minutes and up to an hour. Am I getting that right: when I lift, I can have the drink right there in the gym right after the last set, but after pounding the heavy bag, wait 30 - 60 minutes?

Yes – as I said, the timing of recovery meals relates to the lactic acid factor. Heavy bag exercise typically produces more lactic acid than short stints of heavy lifting.

2) You recommend combining fast proteins, slow absorbing proteins, simple carbs and complex carbs with good fats. Question: Is it OK to have a fast protein and simple carb solution right after the last set, have a fast protein and low GI carb about 45 minutes later and eat a protein (food)/fat/ vegetable meal an hour or 90 minutes after that - before bed?

It's worth trying, nonetheless, go easy on the simple carbs - no more than 5g per serving.

3) I elsewhere read that the Growth Hormone increase from heavy lifting can last for a while after the workout but as soon as one ingests the simple carbs, the GH shuts off. That got me waiting the 30 minutes for the hydrolized whey /maltose-dextrose drink I use instead of right after the last set - to keep the fat-burning going but still make the 30 minute window. Is that a good approach?

No, your shake is made with over-processed whey and synthetic sugar, all of which is toxic and not low-glycemic. As I wrote previously, I wouldn’t give this stuff to my animals.

4) Naturally, I want to increase muscle and decrease fat. But, right now the emphasis is on fat loss. I have a friendly competition with a buddy (really with myself) over who can get the lowest body fat by Monday (a professionally done computer assisted caliper system) and a week later at a local college for hydrostatic weighing. I have been working out 2X per day for 4 months (fasted cardio in the AM and fasted lifting in the early evening). In this last week, I went to three workouts a day (early morning cardio followed by a 2 hour wait before eating, an afternoon drilling session, followed by an hour wait before eating and an early evening heavy lift, followed by a 30 min. wait before two recovery meals (fast protein and fast carb - fast protein and slow carb) and then a protein/fat dinner. Would it be advisable to cut the first one out to keep the GFH going a little longer to maximize fat loss? (I have been cutting my calories over the last 4 months at each wall/plateau I hit: six 500 cal meals; six 400 cal meals; six 350 cal meals; six 300 cal meals to 4 350 cal meals.) Depending on what home system I use (accumeasure, slimgard or tanita electrical impudence scale) I am between 2 and 9%. (its the accumeasure that has me at 9. But the same skinfold for a 20 year old kicks out a 2-3% - not fair - I'm 50).

With all due respect, you're putting yourself at a risk for metabolic shutdown. Too much aerobics and too many workout sessions a day. And, on the top of that, I suspect that your recovery meals are inadequate. Instead, make your life simple, cut your training sessions to one per day. We provide plenty of information on how to maximize fat loss without reducing yourself to prolonged aerobic sessions (see our CFT e-book). Your diet should be exactly what we have recommended in our books – go down on the food change, shift from carb into fat fuels, and finally, get yourself adequate recovery meals – all natural and low glycemic. For the purpose of weight loss and muscle conservation, I would highly recommend trying the Warrior Meal Replacement – No Sugar Added. It was specially designed to do just that – nourish the body with the most bioavailable blend of proteins, fiber, immuno-boosting compounds and hormonal supportive nutrients, as well as very slow releasing carbs for a minimum glycemic impact and thus support a viable fat loss. I personally like to blend it together with Warrior Whey in a ratio of 2:1 (Meal Replacement to Whey) to increase the amino acid content of the overall blend.