After working out in an intense fitness routine, we probably assumed that we needed to relax, chill, eat our post-workout meal,, and then lie down. WRONG! While it is true that a post-workout meal is essential to fuel our body's recovery; lying down or reclining to relax costs you to lose a lot of nutrients.
If you are doing strength training, then you probably know that consuming protein after your workout is vital for the muscles to be able to get the essential amino acids (especially leucine) and recover and grow. And in 2017, Dutch researchers sought to find the factors that can reduce the amount of EAAs that is available for the muscle tissues in an "anabolic window" following a post-workout meal.
But first, what's an anabolic window?
The anabolic window refers to the short time after working out when your muscles are repairing and recovering. It is also called a protein window or metabolic window and it lasts for 30 minutes. Accordingly, if you want to maximize the result of your workout, then you should eat your post-workout meal (protein and carb) during this time frame.
The Research
Now, let's go back to what those researchers has found. Accordingly, the researchers' goal was to see if body position has an impact on anabolic window. They enlisted the help of 8 young and healthy men who all refrained from strenuous physical activity and alcohol consumption for two days, and then fasted for the whole night before the test. After having the blood test, the young men were then given a protein shake to consume and after finishing it, 4 of them sat in a chair while the other 4 reclined on a bed with the head around 20 degrees feet below their feet. And for the next 4 hours, their blood was tested every 15 minutes.
The Big Reveal
At the end of the research, experts were able to draw out conclusions that those four men who lean back after their post-workout meal had lower concentrations of EAAs in their bloodstreams compared to those four other men who were sitting in an upright position.
In other words, if you want your efforts to yield results, then a word of advice, avoid doing this position after your post-workout meal. And for effective results on your fitness routine, make sure to invest in quality fitness gear and accessories, like our lifting straps!