The Post Workout Window Of opportunity

Many folks new to working out and weight lifting routines are not aware that your muscles do not grow while you're in the gym. If you're still struggling to grow, chances are all you're doing is hitting the gym and not paying enough attention to nutrition and recuperation. I guarantee you bigger and better results if you just take advantage of the post-workout window of opportunity and feed your muscles exactly what they want to grow.

First things first you have to realize that your muscles do not grow in the gym. Your muscles are being damaged and ripped when you work out in the gym with weights. That's why you get a pump when you're really hitting your muscles hard... it's your body reacting by rushing blood to the "injured" muscles. So if you don't grow while you're working out in the gym when do you grow?

Your muscles begin to grow when you leave the gym and you stop abusing them! Matter of fact your muscles have an opportunity to start growing right after you leave the gym if you supply them with some crucial nutrients that they're in desperate need of.

The crucial nutrients that your body and muscles need right after a workout are carbohydrates and protein. If you're going to consume sugar this is the best time of the day to do it. After a workout your body is starving...literally! There's nothing left in your stomach and your body is getting ready to burn your muscles for energy since you burned all available fuel during your workout.If you want to start rebuilding your muscle and also give your body the critical nutrients it needs to survive then you want to make sure you consume three things!

The three nutrients you need to take are a simple carbohydrate or any kind of sugar really. Your muscles are made of water and protein but protein are the "building blocks" of muscle. And finally you also want to take some kind of complex carbohydrate to give your body something to burn beyond the first half hour because sugar is normally broken down or stored within 30 minutes of consumption. Drinking a protein shake is the best and fastest way to feed your msucles immediately following a workout. Post workout protein shakes are a dime a dozen and you're sure to find many at your local supplement shop.

You'll also need to eat a meal consisting of protein and carbohydrates within 2 hours of your weight training session if you really want to pack on the muscle. Any type of red meat, chicken, turkey or fish will do for the protein and rice or potatoes are my favorites for the complex carbohydrate side. Once you realize that growing bigger muscles is more then just working out in the gym and going through your current bodybuilding workout program, you'll be on the fast track to getting huge and reaping the full benefits of your workouts. Taking advantage of the post-workout window of opportunity is step one to reaching your muscles full potential but it should have a pretty dramatic impact on your growth.