My favorite thing to have after my workout is a protein shake, sorry to say guys. I did my last season’s show prep without using any protein powders or supplements whatsoever, but in the off-season, for sure I’m going to indulge in a smoothie. I like to make mine with a lot of ice, and whip it good so that it tastes and drinks much like a Blizzard, and I stuff it full of fruits and meuslix so that I’m sure to take advantage of the increased insulin sensitivity that my body is in immediately after a workout. This way, I am actually trying to cause an insulin spike to stop the catabolic processes going on after a heavy, CNS- destroying training session, and get my body back into the important process of rebuilding tissue, especially muscle-tissue. I also like to make sure I take in a little bit of fat, (no more than 10 grams) and studies have shown that adding some full-fat coconut milk or coconut oil to your post-workout shake actually prolongs the insulin spike, making for a more anabolic recovery period. No matter how lazy I am feeling about my nutrition, I always make sure I hit my “numbers” at breakfast, and in the 2 meals post-workout. What do I mean by “numbers”? I mean that all my 6 meals for the day are broken down into ideal ratios of Proteins, Carbohydrates, and Fats. I eat specific amounts of these 3 macronutrients depending on the training I am putting myself through, and what time of day it is. I have two “cheat meals” per week, meals where I eat what I want, guided by intuition or the social occasion. And I do admit that I sometimes get overwhelmed by the higher calories I am trying to consume in the off-season, so if I get “lazy”, I mean that I might eat just a little bit less, even skipping the last meal of the day, if I am just plain Over It! This probably isn’t advisable for a heavy-weight bodybuilder trying to put on 10 – 15 lbs of lean muscle in the off-season, but because I’m only trying to gain about 2 – 3 lbs, and I’m pretty good about my caloric intake most of the time, I’m not too concerned about skipping the odd meal on occasion. The only thing I’m absolutely not allowed to do is reduce my calories over several meals. Why would I want to do that, you might ask? Well, ask any girl who competes as a fitness model, and she’ll probably tell you that she prefers to be on the leaner side of things. It’s normal to battle with the pressure to be leaner, and the necessity to eat more, especially carbohydrates, to drive the anabolic processes and gain muscle. If you really want to “build your body”, you will just have to accept this fact. On the other hand, it is absolutely not necessary to go over 15% body fat in the off-season. Indeed, studies show time and again that below 15% BF your body is in a more anabolic state naturally, and above 15% BF, your body is more likely to continue storing the extra calories you are eating as….BODY FAT…kind of like how the rich get richer, and the fat get…fatter…So moniter your body fat, keep yourself at a point where you can see your ab wall and some separation in your major muscles groups, and keep hitting your body with a variety of exercises, reps, range of motion exercises, and sets to get yourself growing. Before you know it, it will be time to diet down again, and when you do, you want to see some new hard-earned muscles showing on stage
Train hard, and eat Smart!
~Michelle
Post Workout Shake
28 g Pure Protein Powder, (hydrolized whey protein isolate)
1 Tablespoon coconut milk
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup meuslix (organic, low-fat/sugar variety)
1 frozen banana
1 fresh fig
Water if necessary to thin
Stevia to sweeten
1 cup ice
