DAY 1: Post Workout Nutrition

 I WANT TO CLARIFY THAT WHEN IN A 30 MINUTE POST WOD WINDOW WE WANT HIGH PROTEIN, LOW FAT, BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN WE NEED CAN ONLY REACH FOR PROTEIN SOURCES THAT ARE COMPLETELY VOID OF FATS. WE WANT TO SELECT PROTEIN SOURCES THAT HAVE A HIGH PROTEIN TO FAT RATIO. CHECK OUT THIS POST VIA ORANGE COAST CROSSFIT.....

ANDY G.

Post-WoD Nutrition
Yesterday’s blog covered pre-WoD nutrition and the importance of knowing yourself, your goals, and how specific nutritional habits make you look, feel, and perform. These same ideas can be applied to post-WoD nutrition. Post-WoD nutrition is extremely important and sets the stage for your recovery and follow-on performance.
Post-WoD nutrition can be broken into two phases that include the first 30 minutes following the WoD and the 60-90 minutes after. The first 30 minutes following the WoD are extremely critical. There is no other time in the day that your body is this more receptive to fuel. During this time your body is primed to receive and utilize protein and carbohydrates. If you miss this window, you will more than likely impede your recovery. Begin re-fueling immediately to replenish your expended energy stores, rehydrate, provide amino acids for protein utilization, replace electrolytes, and reduce acids levels in your body. The 60-90 minutes following the WoD are also important. During this time it is important to consume a high-protein meal and allow the body to continue its’ focus on muscular recovery and growth.
It is important to understand that post-WoD, like pre-WoD nutrition will vary from person to person. Some variables that could be considered are your specific goals, your body type, and the volume and intensity of your training. Some athletes are focused on performance, some aesthetics, and some are focused on their overall health and longevity. It is important to understand that a man that is 6’3” 165lbs will vary greatly from a female that is 5’4” 225lbs. There is no “one size fits all” approach to post-WoD nutrition.
For those of you that are oriented on fat loss, it is important to note that REAL food, not liquid food, should be your first choice. You should also consider a high-protein, but low to no-carbohydrate post-WoD meal until you are as lean as you’d like to be. How lean is up to you, but below 10% body fat for males and below 15% body fat for females is relatively lean. Once you reach your body fat goal, you can shift gears to a more performance oriented post-WoD meal.
For those of you that are performance oriented and lean, you may want to use a high-carbohydrate and protein mix to replenish damaged muscle tissue and also the glycogen stores that are depleted during intense activity. You can then follow up with a balanced or high-protein, high-fat meal within 60-90 minutes. As far as competition days or days that include multiple WoDs, you should consider using a high-carbohydrate and protein mix of easily digestible foods. Some easily digestible choices could include yams, applesauce, and whey protein. Small amounts of nuts may be effective as a snack between events as well, but don’t overdo it. Remember, game day is not the time to experiment with your post-WoD nutrition.
When considering your post-WoD nutrition, remember to evaluate yourself and how your nutritional habits make you look, feel, and perform. Consider your specific goals, your body type, and the volume and intensity of your training or competition.