The importance of a post workout meal

Now that you're in the gym busting your butt to get in shape, that's only half the battle. You must feed those worn out muscles so they can grow. This is how building muscle works:

1. When you push your muscles to failure you are actually hurting them. Hard work tears the muscle fibers apart.
2. After you rip your muscles apart you must provide them with nourishment.
3. If you do not feed your muscles within 30 minutes of your workout then they go into what is called a "catabolic state".

This means that since you have done damage to your muscles that day, if they do not receive some kind of protein they will start eating away at the un-damaged tissue in order to recover the hurt fibers.

If you neglect to feed your muscles, you can actually do more harm than good. You must take extremely good care of your body while trying to gain muscle because if you do not it becomes sort of like taking two steps forward and one step back.

Most people assume protein is the only thing you need to worry about getting into your body after a workout. This is NOT true. Because they have been exhausted, they in fact need carbs to stop any chance of going into a catabolic state. One serving of Gatorade suffices.

After you flush your body with fast digesting carbs, protein is the next step. As a rule, your body cannot digest more than 50 grams of protein at one time so at least 35-45 grams of protein will provide your body with plenty. REMEMBER protein is the building block of muscle.

If you're working hard in the gym but not eating right you are cheating yourself and damaging your body without purpose.