No one argues that what you eat plays a crucial role in your overall fitness, body composition, and athletic performance. To build your muscles, you must eat a lot of protein. But what is there? when Do you eat it?
Many trainers and fitness professionals will refer to the post-workout “anabolic window” and tell you (between sips of a recovery shake) that nutrient timing is everything. They believe that protein intake should be timed with the precision of a Swiss watch to specific periods when muscles are especially receptive (such as after a workout).
But the latest research suggests that effective fuel may not be as time sensitive. As long as you eat regularly throughout the day, you can have hours (not minutes) to take in muscle-building proteins post-workout.
Read on to find out why time is on your side when it comes to the “anabolic window,” but also why protein should still be your priority after any workout.
What is the anabolic window theory?
He Anabolic window theory suggests that you have a short time frame (30 to 60 minutes) post-workout to consume adequate nutrients, more specifically, protein, to maximize muscle recovery and repair.
What happens when that half-hour window closes? Catabolism (the breakdown of tissues) overwhelms anabolism (the growth of tissues), decreasing your potential muscle growth and strength gains, or so the theory goes. But recent research tells a slightly different story..
What do experts say about the anabolic window?
Recent scientific findings suggest that the post-workout anabolic window lasts four to six hours, not 30 minutes. In a meta-analysis published by the Journal of the International Society of Sports NutritionThe authors concluded that total daily protein intake trumps specific timing when it comes to building muscle.
Does that mean you should ditch your post-workout shake? You are welcome. Whether it’s been more than a few hours since your last heavy protein meal, or the next one is a couple of hours away, that post-workout shake is still a powerful tool in your muscle-building arsenal.
Additionally, research has shown that people who consume a post-workout protein supplement build leaner mass (i.e. muscle) than those who don’t, likely because it helps increase their overall daily protein intake.
To pack muscle, evidence suggests that a variety of 1.4 grams to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day can be effective. For example, an individual who weighs 150 pounds should strive to consume at least 95 grams of protein per day. A portion of Beachbody Performance Recover It offers 20 grams of protein, so consuming one scoop after exercise covers a significant portion of your daily goal.
How much should I worry about the anabolic window theory?
If the concept of eating and drinking within a specific window runs through you, try thinking about your fuel from a big-picture perspective, he suggests. Wendy LordRd. “As long as you’re fueling your body efficiently (with protein throughout the day), you’ll achieve muscle growth,” he says.
Focus on eating protein-rich meals and snacks every four to six hours, and always after exercising. So, let’s say you have a 12 pm workout scheduled during your lunch break. If you have Greek yogurt for breakfast at 9am, a mid-morning snack of trail mix with nuts at 11am and then recover with a Beachbody Performance Recover Shake at 1 pm, you will have loaded up on your daily protein intake and your protein consumed when your muscle tissues were most receptive to protein, all without thinking about it too much.
Is “protein timing” different from the anabolic window theory?
People who talk about “protein timing” are essentially referring to the anabolic window theory. Protein Time consume protein immediately after a workout to capitalize on the body’s receptivity to muscle-building amino acids.
To further investigate the concept of protein timing, Brad Jon Shoenfeld, PhD, CSCS and Alan Aragón, MSC, two of the authors of the aforementioned meta-analysis, conducted their own research study in a group of resistance-trained men. Half of the participants were instructed to consume 25 grams of whey protein just before a full-body resistance training workout and the other half were instructed to consume the same amount of the same supplement immediately after exercising.
According to protein timing rules, the group that consumed the protein powder after exercising should have experienced greater benefits. But, according to their research: “The results showed no differences in hypertrophy measures between groups during the 10-week study period.”
Simply put, the anabolic window is much larger than we ever thought, and it really doesn’t matter where you sit your workout as long as you do it.
The bottom line in protein time
Prioritize total daily protein intake, but don’t abandon protein time completely. That post-workout shake can still help speed up your recovery and track your progress no matter what type of athlete you are.
Whether you’re training for an ultramarathon, cruising on your bike, or pumping iron, your muscles need protein to grow and adapt, and supplying them with enough will help you optimize your performance and crush your goals. Keep these tips in mind (and have protein on your plate at every meal), and you’ll be doing yourself and your muscles a lot of favors.
