Muffin Top-Less

RIGHT after a weight lifting session… your body is in a vulnerable state. It is in need of fast-digesting protein to help begin the repairative process of the muscle tissue you just damaged. That is why you should ALWAYS have a protein shake (whey preferably, as it is the fastest digesting) after a workout.

This also means that practically anything you eat after a workout will be USED by the body to repair the damaged tissue. This period of opportunity is known as the “anabolic window”. Although people have debated how long this “window” stays open… the majority agree it is around an hour. This means that if you decide to splurge on a candy bar within that period of time, your body will use it for energy and NOT store it as fat (this doesn’t mean you can binge, it just means you can have a LITTLE BIT of sugar and it will not hurt your physique goals). So if you are going to have any sugar, this is the only time of day to do it.
Make sure to avoid fats post-workout (even healthy ones) as they slow digestion… the opposite of what you want during this time! Also, this only applies if you are seriously lifting. If you just did yoga or played around with little 5 lb beauty bells for a few minutes, the body is not in a state of deprivation where sugar would be helpful to it.