There’s a good chance you’re using the New Year to keep your fitness journey going… or to start a brand new one.
And with that usually comes a lot of questions about what it really takes to see the best results.
The problem is, most people spend a ton of time stressing over details that don’t matter as much as they think:
- A specific vitamin
- The newest diet trend
- Which pre-workout has the most caffeine
Those aren’t bad questions (and we’re always happy to help), but if you put too much weight on the “extras,” you can miss the fundamentals that actually drive results.
Because the truth is: there are simple, proven principles that consistently lead to better progress.
One of the biggest? Proper post-workout nutrition.
It’s not new. It’s not flashy. But it works ... and most people are doing it wrong.
What’s Actually Happening When You Work Out?
If your goal is burning fat and/or building muscle (which is most people’s goal), resistance training needs to be part of your routine.
You don’t have to be a bodybuilder or live in the gym ... but you do need to lift weights.
Here’s what’s happening during resistance training:
1) You’re depleting glycogen stores
Glucose (the simplest form of carbs) is stored in your muscles as glycogen. That glycogen is the fuel your muscles rely on during training.
Think of it like your muscle “gas tank.” When you train, you burn through that fuel.
2) You’re creating micro-traumas in the muscle
These are tiny tears in the muscle tissue that happen during training.
And this is the part most people forget:
You’re not building muscle in the gym ... you’re breaking it down.
You build muscle outside the gym, during recovery.
The faster your muscles repair and recover, the better results you’ll see.
What Is Proper Post-Workout Nutrition?
Protein and carbohydrates have been proven time and time again to be crucial for recovery and results ... especially after training.
Honestly, few things will impact your progress more than getting your post-workout nutrition right.
Yes, eating protein and carbs after a workout helps you recover. That’s a fact.
But if you can speed up the repair process, you can speed up your progress.
That’s why certain products have been developed specifically for post-workout recovery ... some of the only supplements that can actually outperform whole food meals in this one situation.
They digest faster than food, which helps kickstart recovery immediately.
Two of the most effective options are:
Post-Workout Glucose and Whey Protein Isolate.
Post-Workout Glucose
The fastest way to refill your muscle “gas tank” is to give your body the exact fuel it uses.
Post-workout glucose replenishes glycogen faster than other carb sources because it’s been pre-digested, meaning it bypasses much of the digestive process and can get to your muscles quickly.
Whey Protein Isolate
Yes, it’s protein but ... it’s not just any protein.
Whey isolate is also fast-digesting and stripped of the components that slow digestion down. That means amino acids can reach your damaged muscle tissue faster, helping start the rebuilding process sooner.
Can I Just Use Protein?
This is one of the most common questions when it comes to post-workout supplementation.
And while you can take only protein after your workout, you’ll miss out on major benefits that can lead to better results.
For one, your body craves carbs after training, often even more than it craves protein.
That’s a survival response. Your body wants its energy restored ASAP, and glucose is the quickest way to do that.
In fact, if you only take protein post-workout, your body may convert a large portion of that protein into glucose for energy (a process called gluconeogenesis).
That means you’re using protein as fuel which isn’t ideal because that protein isn’t being prioritized for muscle repair.
On top of that, glucose helps transport nutrients (including amino acids) into the muscle by creating an insulin response ... basically helping “deliver” what your muscles need for recovery.
Protein and glucose work better together than either one alone.
Benefits of Proper Post-Workout Supplementation
So what does refueling glycogen and repairing muscle tissue actually mean for your results?
A lot more than most people realize. Benefits can include:
- Reduced muscle soreness
- More lean muscle growth
- Increased fat loss support
- Less post-workout fatigue
- Lower stress response after training
- Better recovery and injury prevention
And the best part ... many people notice a difference after just one workout.
There aren’t many supplements that can make as immediate of an impact as post-workout nutrition.
Bottom Line
People get caught up in all the “fancy” supplement and nutrition info out there ... and when that happens, they often neglect the fundamentals that have produced results for decades.
Post-workout nutrition is one of those fundamentals.
If you want to recover faster, perform better, and see results sooner, proper post-workout supplementation should be a staple.
Whether you’re brand new or you’ve been training for years.
If you have more questions about post workout supplementation or need any help at all putting together a plan to attack those New Years goals ... stop into your closest S2 location and speak with our Sports Nutrition Specialists.
We will make sure you have the best plan possible.
*This post was written by Andrew Lynn, who has a Bachelor's in Science Nutrition and Dietetics. He is also a NASM Certified Personal Trainer and NASM Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist.