insulin spike post workout

[skyeangel07]

Hey guys....

I am a 24 yr old female. I weigh 124, 5"4, and 16% bf. I am trying to figure out the proper amt of carbs for me to have post workout for a good insulin spike to help me gain lean muscle mass after tge gym. If anyone can please help me by letting me know the right amt with my stats that would be very helpful. I've done research and used calculators and they've all told me that I should have about 90 carbs post workout. I've been doing that, and I feel like I've gained weight and fat since I started that, and I am not pleased with the results. Can someone please help! Thank you!

[NaturalMass]

well, you have several options....

There are many forms of carbs, and many people's bodies react differently to the different sorts of carbs. There are Dextrose and Maltodextrin. Some people will tell you that Dextrose will only harm you while others use only Dextrose post workout due to it being a fast acting form.

In my personal experiences i try to stick with slow digesting carbs such as whole wheat bread and oats post workout and a bananna. I take in about 60grams of protein and about 60-80 in slow digesting carbs. I choose oats and wheat because they keep me leaner than Dextrose when i'm bulking.

Some people will tell you that you need twice the amount of carbs as you do protein in PWO due to the fact that carbs help shuttle protein to muscle cells in dire need of nutrients, but it all ***ends on how your body reacts. There is really no exact set ration of how many you should be taking in... Try taking in a different kind of carb (quality carbs), and try lowering the amount. Play with it and see what works for you. They way i judge what works best for me is how my stomach looks the morning after i take PWO and see if i look bloated much, and pay attention to my abs the whole next day. But like i said, i prefer slow digesting carbs.... but not everyone is the same.

I've noticed that my body is very "carb sensitive" and fat stores much quicker when i use "dirty carbs" or fast acting/digesting carbs such as Dextrose. . . GOOD LUCK!! Any more questions let us know

[TR'05]

sky, NaturalMass has some useful information in there that is good to know, if you didn't already.

As far as proportions and ratios for post workout go, it really ***ends on the individual and their daily macronutrient intake. Having said that, I would say 90 grams of carbs PWO for someone your size is way overkill.

I, myself, am 180lbs (10% bf) and am on a lean bulk. When I was taking in post workout shakes (I now have BCAAs followed by a whole meal 15 minutes later) I was limiting myself to 60 grams carbs in the form of oats. I have also tried, dextrose- up to 100 grams- bagels, and fruit.

I've found 60 to be ideal for me. For yourself, I would suggest starting off with 30grams whey and 40-50 grams carbs and adjusting from there.

[NaturalMass]

sky, NaturalMass has some useful information in there that is good to know, if you didn't already.

As far as proportions and ratios for post workout go, it really ***ends on the individual and their daily macronutrient intake. Having said that, I would say 90 grams of carbs PWO for someone your size is way overkill.

I, myself, am 180lbs (10% bf) and am on a lean bulk. When I was taking in post workout shakes (I now have BCAAs followed by a whole meal 15 minutes later) I was limiting myself to 60 grams carbs in the form of oats. I have also tried, dextrose- up to 100 grams- bagels, and fruit.

I've found 60 to be ideal for me. For yourself, I would suggest starting off with 30grams whey and 40-50 grams carbs and adjusting from there.

i'd have to agree 100%... i too am roughly 180 at 8-9% bf and take in about the same type/form/number of carbs and it works great for me as well while lean bulking... 90 is probably why you feel like you're gainging fat. That's ALOT of carbs, especially if they are fast digesting ones spiking the hell out of your insulin and inhibiting fat breakdown.

[Giants11]

Hey guys....

I am a 24 yr old female. I weigh 124, 5"4, and 16% bf. I am trying to figure out the proper amt of carbs for me to have post workout for a good insulin spike to help me gain lean muscle mass after tge gym. If anyone can please help me by letting me know the right amt with my stats that would be very helpful. I've done research and used calculators and they've all told me that I should have about 90 carbs post workout. I've been doing that, and I feel like I've gained weight and fat since I started that, and I am not pleased with the results. Can someone please help! Thank you!

Stay away from the High Gi carbs and move to a something lower like Oats, Bagel, Cereal etc....

Also I do not know where you are getting 90g PWO but for a female your size that seems like way too much. I'm 5'11" 220 and I only take roughly 60g Post.

[Prada]

I agree with Giants yes it give you the insulin spike yet you may feel a "crash". I like to have a mix of both high glycemic index carb as well as low GI. I like to replenish glycogen stores ASAP but not at any expense, fluctuating levels. I am over 200lbs as well and find 50g carbs PWO sufficient, until I can eat a wholesome meal.

Also it may be part of the reason that with your PWO you have been gaining weight however it is not solely the reason. Look at your complete diet as a whole entity.

[Ajc330]

you shouldn't worry about spiking your insulin, after woirkout is when it's the highest, which is why complex carbs with low GI rating is best, people used to believe that dextrose and maltodextrin would spike your insulin after workout and taking with protein helps your body use the protein, but that is now proven false because pwo is when your insulin spike will be at it's peak, so take in protein and i'd say 40-60g of oats or a sweet potatoe/yam..

GL!

[MFT81]

ive totally given up on using any carbs other than broccolii or other veggies with a whole food meal pwo, ive leaned up really well and deff havent lost any size.

[TR'05]

^^^MFT, just out of curiousity why did you stop with carbs (i.e. not veggies) PWO?

When you bulk, does this protocol change?

[PeteyK]

whats the difference between Dextrose and Maltodextrin?

[juiceball44]

dextrose is alot sweeter and has a higher GI than maltodextrin

[taiboxa]

bah, postworkout carbs are over rated.. even postworkout nutrition is debateable when compared to preworkout nutrtion.. as very very few people actually do resistance training on an empty stomache and in a completely ***leted state.

[Patches24]

I'll describe my approach, so you can compare it to others.

I have a history of insulin resistance, and I'd consider myself very carb sensitive.

After a workout, within 15 minutes, I eat a feeding that is the same as every other feeding. Same amount of protein and carbs, and exact same food sources. There is no effort to spike my insulin levels either before the workout or after the workout. Under my current plan, my training week has zero planned insulin spikes.

At today's workout, I was able to do more reps before failure compared to a week ago, and my bodyweight was lower than it was a week ago. So I don't assume that I really need insulin spikes. My goals for muscle size are rather modest, and I consider bodyfat gain a much bigger problem. In that sense I'm probably a lot like many women who work out.

I know there are athletes and bodybuilders who swear by the high calorie insulin spike after a workout, but if you've tried that and are unhappy with the bodyfat gain, you might experiment with something like what I am doing.