"I am getting 25 grams of carbohydrates after workout-all from milk, and 40 grams of protein. Am I getting enough protein, and how does the lack of carbs effect me? I’m 180 now, and in the process of cutting. Also, if I take milk after my workout to boost up my protein intake, will it slow my progress? If milk really isn’t good postworkout, can you please tell me what I should take postworkout? 16.5 grams of protein come from 5 deciliters (500 mL) of milk, and 25 grams of protein or so come from 30 grams of protein powder.
If you could tell me how bad this is, and how I can improve it, I would appreciate it (how I can improve it without taking too much powder every day; it costs a lot here, sadly). Thanks,
BabyBear"
Hey BabyBear. You ask a good question, which brings up some controversial points. It should go without saying that a postworkout drink is critical because it will take your body from a catabolic state and switch it into an anabolic state. Thus, it should contain all of the best ingredients to allow your body to accomplish this goal.
Looking over your ingredients, I believe that your protein is not the problem. 40 grams is sufficient for a postworkout drink, and you are getting 65-70% from whey protein (remember that milk is composed of about 75% casein protein and 25% whey protein). Optimally, you’d want to hit 80%+ of whey protein in your postworkout drink, but you are not at a great disadvantage at 65-70%. This way you will not have to spend extra money on your whey protein powder.
I believe the problem lies in the carbohydrate portion of your shake. You only have 25 grams of carbohydrates, coming from milk, which has a Glycemic Index rating of 34 (out of 100). This is low, meaning it will take longer for the carbohydrates to be broken down into glucose. However, here is the controversial part. Some people believe that consuming low GI (Glycemic Index) foods postworkout will not affect the speed of the insulin spike, because your workout assists this process, and the whey alone is enough to create a sufficient spike, so high GI foods are not needed. So, some people eat oatmeal (or any other low GI food) postworkout in addition to consuming a protein source. They also argue that taking in something like dextrose/glucose postworkout does not help your insulin sensitivity. However, many people also believe that a high GI carbohydrate is necessary, as it will spike your insulin level quicker. They argue that a high GI carbohydrate (such as dextrose/glucose) in moderate dosages, which would be the 25-35 grams you are consuming postworkout, does not harm your insulin insensitivity in any way.
What is my stance on all of this? And, what is my solution to your lack of carbohydrate source? There is no evidence supporting either argument that they are correct, and the other side is wrong. Everything is mere speculation in this case. So, I will continue to enjoy my dextrose postworkout, because of its convenience. I also like to remind myself that, since I am a bodybuilder, the only real time I consume a decent amount of sugar is in my postworkout drink, so I am not at risk of insulin sensitivity (or type II Diabetes) like someone who chugs Cokes the entire day, and munches on some sugar-filled snacks is. If I were you, I would purchase some dextrose for about $1 a pound, and add 10-12 grams (2.5 tsps-1 Tbsp) of it to your postworkout shake. If you can’t take the taste of the sweetened drink, just pour the sugar into water and drink the sugar water separately. If you don’t like that, consider another sport J
. Let me know if you have any follow up questions.
