Bodybuilding Forums

As we all know muscle grows when we push it to the limit, and it require calorie to grow. My question is how long after the workout do we have to fuel the muscle? For example right now i am back on MANS diet and my carb up day is next day after Legs(last day of 5 day split). Since we know that carb induces insulin and can cause fat storage, so I want to control my calorie intake to be lower on carb up day. However, would that affect the growth of my leg muscles because i didn't get a surplus of calorie on the day after workout?
(Sorry if i make it too complicated, what i am trying to ask is that is extra calorie only beneficial on the day of muscle workout?)

beow2k5 wrote:My question is how long after the workout do we have to fuel the muscle?

If possible, you want a steady flow of protein to ensure the concentration in your bloodstream is high enough that your muscles are anabolizing the protein, rather than giving protein back to the bloodstream because protein levels are lower than usual.

This is part and parcel of the "5 or 6 meals a day" hypothesis, and I've experienced my best and most consistent gains following a strategy of ingesting the (appropriate for my muscle size) 30-40g of protein five or six times per day at evenly-spaced intervals. Up around four pounds over the past four months (previous benchmark: 162 lbs lean mass on 2009-03-06, grown to 166 lbs average on 2009-06-19, with average body weight almost exactly the same).

Now, this doesn't sound like much, but if you look at Mark's latest blog posting, you'll see this is right in line with what natural bodybuilders should expect when they are diligent... and I've not been nearly as diligent as I should have been with either exercise regimen or nutrition: http://www.musclehack.com/warning-do-no ... heres-why/ .

So IMHO, your goal should be to keep steady, even feedings throughout the day, at least 5 meals a day. Your post-workout shake is a sixth, because your body is better at protein uptake immediately after your workout. There has been some discussion on this board about the metabolic benefit (or not) of eating more than 3 meals per day; I don't want to derail the thread on this, but while there seems to be no direct metabolic benefit, for many people it keeps hunger reduced and there may be this protein-synthesis benefit of always having ample protein floating around the bloodstream.

My eating schedule is 6:30, 9:30, 12:30, 15:30, and 18:30, with PWO shake usually around 21:30. I aim for 25-40g per meal, supplementing with additional chicken breast and tuna in the afternoon & evening if needed (two great protein sources), and my PWO shake is usually 50g of protein because I'm going to sleep right after... and while you sleep is your body's greatest period of muscle-building.

--Matt B.