Finding the perfect exercise program that that reduces body fat and creates lean muscle can seem like a dream come true. But grabbing a quick snack after all of your hard work in the gym could reverse those fulfilling results in just minutes.
Through high intensity workouts, growth hormone or GH is released naturally within your body to spur an anti-aging, weight reducing and muscle toning chemical reaction. When you reach for a fruit drink that is laced with fructose or an energy bar that is loaded with refined sugar, it counteracts all that hard work you’ve just put into your high intensity training.
Waiting approximately two hours after your exercise regime before enjoying a low carbohydrate meal is, says Phil Campbell, the best way to avoid interference of your body’s ability to reap the benefits that GH can produce.
This is not to say that you should “starve” yourself after your workout or that weight loss cannot occur with proper exercise… but without the ‘2-hour window’ provided by the body’s ability to reap the fat burning properties of GH for this additional period of time, your exercise program may not deliver all that it can.
Phil Campbell, of “Ready, Set, Go!” recommends the following:
1. Don’t eat a high fat meal before exercise (no high fat meals one hour prior to training)
2. Drink water during training
3. Don’t consume sugar for two hours after training
4. Consume 25 grams of protein after training (high protein meal or protein supplement without concentrated sugar)
Why the body reacts as it does to refined sugar and fructose has always been understood to increase insulin release. An interesting discovery was made in 1973 in the laboratory of Roger Guillemin.
Somatostatin, or SRIF, was found to be a second hormone that can override the growth hormone when put to the test. Feeding high sugar foods or drinks to our natural blood supply automatically triggers SRIF which interferes with GH production.
As we age, the benefits naturally attributed to the growth hormone can begin to slow and further blockage with the second hormone of Somatostatin can make us feel as if we are going nowhere with our exercise regime. During that two-hour window immediately following a high intensity workout GH rises putting your body’s fat burning capabilities on “turbo”.
In general, medical reasons for not grabbing a fructose fruit drink immediately after your routine workout include it negatively affecting insulin sensitivity. Insulin resistance is known to trigger type 2 Diabetes, not to mention, being an issue for other chronic diseases such as heart disease. And obviously, if you are significantly overweight, protecting your body from these problems (which can sometimes mean the difference between life and death), is definitely something that should be taken seriously.
To learn more about getting the most out of your body’s ability to produce and maximize GH visit Ready, Set, Go! Synergy Fitness for Time Crunched Adults
Happy healthy eating and training folks,
Yours in fun, health and fitness
© Mandy Gibbons
Virtual Fitness Trainer
Reference and Research: Dr Mercola’s site… Mercola.com
