Carbs... a couple of Qs..

[A2daMIR]

i have a question regarding Pre and post workout carbs:

Pre Workout:

im carb sensitive, and i try to maintaing low carb throughout the year , so what exactly does PRE WORKOUT Carbs do for you  other than " fueling your workouts and giving you more energy"... my training sessions are already intense enough, if not i can always take a couple of caffeine pills, so what does pre workout carbs do for you other than to give you energy...


Post Workout

What are some good post workout sandwiche( and i mean immediately , literally eating at the locker room) . i know rice and potatoes are good and all, but i dont have the luxury to cook those at the gym...  also, anyone have a good recipe for a decent post workout sandwich?

rigt now i eat a PB Jelly Sandwich ( 2 slices of whole grain bread ( 40g carb), one TbS PB ( 15 g o carbs) and i TbS of grape jelly ( 20g))... i also bought some dates that i'll eat after the workout ( i'll probably wont put the jelly on my sandwich if i eat the dates, cuz then too much carbs)...

anyone else have any suggestions for a decent sandwich?

[Princess L]

What are some good post workout sandwiche( and i mean immediately , literally eating at the locker room) . i know rice and potatoes are good and all, but i dont have the luxury to cook those at the gym... 

You could always use a thermos to keep things you prepared ahead warm/hot...

[cornebb]

Pro and Carbs shake afterwards! 30g 30g, thats what i do, i duno why tho, i thought i might give it a go

[GoneAway]

Find what you like the most and try to put it in a sandwich. A few slices of ham/beef/cheese and you'll get about 12 - 20g of protein. Add a bit of peanut butter or jelly if you like that, and you're good to go.

Pro and Carbs shake afterwards! 30g 30g, thats what i do, i duno why tho, i thought i might give it a go

They can be quite costly.

[Lugar]

fat + postworkout = 

[MidniteRambo]

Pro and Carbs shake afterwards! 30g 30g, thats what i do, i duno why tho, i thought i might give it a go

Exactly.  I'm not sure why it has to be a sandwhich.  Especially if you're at the gym.  Pre-mix a shake with some dextrose, throw in a few ice cubes and stick it in your locker.

[A2daMIR]

yeah exactly why i was looking for alternatives...the reason i was trying to avoid Carb SHakes was that quite honestly anything that has carbs taste good... i dont eat sandwiches for anoy other meal just because they have carbs, so after my workout which my body needs carbs, i tried to at least enjoy a food that i like... 

fat + postworkout = 

[jmt1]

yeah exactly why i was looking for alternatives...the reason i was trying to avoid Carb SHakes was that quite honestly anything that has carbs taste good... i dont eat sandwiches for anoy other meal just because they have carbs, so after my workout which my body needs carbs, i tried to at least enjoy a food that i like... 

your post workout meal should always be a shake....if your eating a sandwich or any other meal you are missing the purpose of why your body needs those pwo carbs...after training your insulin sensitivity is increased...your muscles are ready to absorb the nutrients you take in....a shake with some hydrolyzed whey mixed with simple sugars is needed...the shake is very quickly asssimilated where a regular meal would take hours and you therefore miss the pwo window of opportunity.

if you do a search online you can find research studies and tons of articles that detail the importance of the post workout shake.

[WhiteHulk4]

Yes, you will find plenty of articles and research touting the POST-WORKOUT SHAKE...  It might be the most effective thing you can do, but you're a human being and if you're trying to not eat a lot of carbs during the day - saving them for after your workout IS a very good idea.  If your body is in full-fat-burning mode from the lack of carbs, it will soak up ANY carbs you give it after your workout.  So by all means, use that time to eat something enjoyable! 

Eating low-carb SUCKS A BIG FAT ONE!!!  So having something yummy after your workout will not only motivate you to have a kick-ass workout because you know you get a pay-off afterwards, but it will also keep you sane while eating low-carb the rest of the time.

[ON1]

What are some good post workout sandwiche( and i mean immediately , literally eating at the locker room)

Assuming you are keeping your training to under 60 minutes your body continues to produce larger than normal amounts of growth hormone for up to 15 minutes post-workout. Considering that sugar is a mortal enemy of growth hormone and will shut or slow down production, why would you want to consume sugars immediately after training and negate a beneficial effect rather than wait 15 to 20 minutes?
Jay

[A2daMIR]

I m not doubting you, but i thought that immediately after intense workouts, your body has such high levels of metabolism that it will absorb anything that you eat, whether it be solids or liquids... is that right or wrong?  i have no doubt that liquids get absorbed faster when your body has is at its normal levels, but i thought immediately after workouts there isnt much a difference between the absorbtion levels...

your post workout meal should always be a shake....if your eating a sandwich or any other meal you are missing the purpose of why your body needs those pwo carbs...

===================
i lift between 60-75 mins, and then i do 20 mins of HIIT cardio ( either bike or stairmaster)... so that 15-20 mins that your talking about is incorporated in my workout ( thats the time i do cardio), so i eat my carbs immediately after my cardio, which is actually 15-20 mins after my lifting...

so far thanks guys for your feedback.

Assuming you are keeping your training to under 60 minutes your body continues to produce larger than normal amounts of growth hormone for up to 15 minutes post-workout. Considering that sugar is a mortal enemy of growth hormone and will shut or slow down production, why would you want to consume sugars immediately after training and negate a beneficial effect rather than wait 15 to 20 minutes?
Jay

[jmt1]

I m not doubting you, but i thought that immediately after intense workouts, your body has such high levels of metabolism that it will absorb anything that you eat, whether it be solids or liquids... is that right or wrong?  i have no doubt that liquids get absorbed faster when your body has is at its normal levels, but i thought immediately after workouts there isnt much a difference between the absorbtion levels...

yes your insulin sensistivity is increased after intense workouts....so you want to take advantage of that by taking in a fast acting shake...the simple sugars will replenish muscle glycogen and will shuttle other nutrients such as bcaa, creatine, ect, into the muscle cells...you cant match that eating a solid meal.

i would suggest taking a look at this link...its a very good article discussing the post workout window of opportunity...you will also find links to other articles on this topic as well as the scientific data.

http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/windowofopportunity.php

[Lugar]

good stuff....I go 30g whey, and about 2 cups of cold high gi cereal......then 30 mins to 45 later, 1 cup oats, and 6oz lean protein....adequate?

[A2daMIR]

thanks man, this is the kind of answer i was looking for... very useful link .

yes your insulin sensistivity is increased after intense workouts....so you want to take advantage of that by taking in a fast acting shake...the simple sugars will replenish muscle glycogen and will shuttle other nutrients such as bcaa, creatine, ect, into the muscle cells...you cant match that eating a solid meal.

i would suggest taking a look at this link...its a very good article discussing the post workout window of opportunity...you will also find links to other articles on this topic as well as the scientific data.

http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/windowofopportunity.php