You may have heard of this concept known as the metabolic “window” or opportunity to refuel after exercise.
You may have heard of this concept known as the metabolic “window” or opportunity to refuel after exercise. This is the time when our hormones, including insulin, are on our side and ready to help to redistribute carbohydrates and protein (among other nutrients) to where they have been depleted.
It’s important to realise that this “window” of opportunity will vary from person to person due to differences in fitness levels, the intensity and duration of the training session, and other factors, like gender and body composition (i.e. percentage of metabolically active muscle tissue). This “window” can vary anywhere from 30 minutes post-exercise to up to 3 hours for others.
If you are new to training, have beginner fitness levels, and/or are working on increasing lean body mass and strength to improve your metabolism, then your metabolic window post-exercise is likely to be 30-60 minutes post-training. This means that your opportunity to refuel with nourishing carbohydrates is within this 30-60 minute time frame.
If you have been training for a little while, have intermediate fitness levels, are consistent in maintaining your strength and muscle mass, and push to higher training intensities, then your metabolic window post-exercise is likely to be 1-2 hours post-workout. This means that your opportunity to refuel with nourishing carbohydrates is within this 1-2 hour time frame.
If you have been training intensively, have advanced fitness levels, consistently improve your strength and muscle mass and push to elite training intensities, then your metabolic window post-exercise is likely to be 2-3 hours post-workout, or perhaps even longer, depending on the duration and intensity of the session. This means that your opportunity to refuel with nourishing carbohydrates is within this 2-3+ hour time frame.
Knowing what to eat during this metabolic window is also key. Let’s take a look at a few different examples so that you can work out what to eat (including how much carbohydrate to refuel with) in that post-exercise window.
Comments