Does the anabolic window really exist?

The world of bodybuilding is often the subject of myths and other popular beliefs. The concept of anabolic window is undoubtedly one of the most widespread. It refers to the post-training period 30 minutes would be the ideal time for a bodybuilder to eat in order to maximize his chances of gain weight. So, what is it really?

What is the anabolic window?

In theory, the anabolic window can be defined as the ideal time for eat protein and carbohydrates in order to promote the muscular growth and recovery.

Once your strength exercises At the end of the workout, it would take about 30 minutes for the proteins to be assimilated in order to build muscle. The repair of muscular lesions following the movements carried out would be the most convincing at this precise moment. Every athlete would therefore be well advised to take a solid meal or a shaker made up of whey protein and high glycemic index carbohydrates.

To reach themuscle anabolismit is indeed essential to assimilate foods that will promote the muscle fiber reconstruction. This metabolic window occurs following a state of congestion, a natural phenomenon that allows gain muscle after intensive training.

The 30-minute period after the session is the precise moment when the metabolism is most receptive. This explains why many weight trainers prefer not to eat before and during training. But we will see that in reality, this anabolic window has little importance for build muscle.

The anabolic window in bodybuilding: myth or reality?

In reality, there is no such thing as a short post-workout period during which you should absolutely eat or risk losing muscle. So the 30 minutes after your workout have little impact on your long-term muscle growth. The good news is that you won't have to run to the gym locker room to drink your whey shaker at full speed!

A meta-analysis published in 2013 confirms that consuming nutrients such as protein and carbohydrates immediately after the session has no impact on the muscle development. As proof of its reliability, this meta-analysis cross-referenced the results of 23 of the most serious scientific studies on the subject. Its conclusion is as follows: consuming protein just after exercise, one hour after or two hours after exercise has the same effect on muscle growth athletes.

The anabolic window is therefore not a precise figure, as some would have us believe. It must be the result of the sensitivity of each athlete and his or her food routine. If an athlete is accustomed to eating before or during weight training, he or she will not feel an urgent need to eat immediately after training.

At what times of the day is it essential to eat?

Upon awakening

At alarm clockYour body is in a state of demand. The long fast your body undergoes during the sleep phase leads it to have an urgent need to absorb food. It is therefore essential to eat when you wake up, because everything you consume will allow you to build muscle and benefit from a protein synthesis effective.

The breakfast is the most important meal of the day for your muscle growth. So make sure you eat a lot. If you practice intermittent fastingThe first meal of your day becomes fundamental, even if it's not breakfast.

After a workout

During a strength trainingYour muscle fibres will break down. These micro lesions will lead to a degradation of the amino acids and a negative nitrogen balance. To counter this phenomenon and obtain a positive nitrogen balance (your muscles synthesize more protein than they consume), you must eat protein.

But as already mentioned, the quality of your muscle rebuilding will not be impaired if you do not take in nutrients for 30 minutes after you finish your workout. If you have eaten in the four hours before your session, or if you have consumed BCAA During this time, these nutrients will be used by your body to repair damaged muscle fibres. Nevertheless, I advise you to take a protein shake or a solid meal within two hours so as not to slow down your muscle mass gain.

On the other hand, if you have not eaten anything with the sports sessionIf you are not able to eat, your body will go into catabolic mode instead of anabolic mode. It is therefore in your best interest to eat a snack or a meal quickly to reach your goal in terms of muscle volume.

In addition, there is also a method called " protein pulse".. The pulsed protein diet consists of taking 80 % of one's food intake at once and spreading the other 20 % over the rest of the day. This method, whose effectiveness has been scientifically proven, makes it possible to increase muscle mass in a consistent manner.

What foods to eat after weight training?

As part of your dietChoose the banana. This fruit will fill you with its nutritional inputs (about 1 gram of protein, 20 grams of carbohydrates and less than 0.5 grams of fat per 100 grams of banana) and will help you for a quick muscle gain and an efficient recovery.

The dairy productsif you tolerate them, are rich in essential amino acids. Their caloric intake will help you to quickly rebuild your muscle mass. Very popular with athletes and fitness enthusiasts, skyr is particularly interesting in terms of macronutrients. For 100 grams of this specialty of Icelandic origin, you will benefit from about 4 grams of carbohydrates, 10 grams of protein and only 0.2 grams of fat.

For good nutrition after your workouts, also include fast foods like cereal bars or organic honey.

Think also of those rich in starch for the slow sugars. Cereal bars made from wheat or puffed rice will help you refuel your body. glycogen. The latter will be stored in the liver and muscles in the form of glucose for a good muscle recovery.

You can also prepare a drink in a shaker with food supplements made of protein powder, maltodextrin, dextrose and leucine. This blend allows for rapid assimilation, which will increase mass gain and glycogen levels for better muscle building.

Finally, the oilseeds (almonds, cashew or pecan nuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, etc.) are rich in fatty amino acids. With their plant proteinThey are an essential complement for the muscles and should be integrated into your eating habits.

As a reminder, in sports nutritionIt is important to keep yourinsulin as stable as possible. This also applies during the diet phase. Therefore, be careful not to overindulge, as this will lead to diabetes in the long run, but also to fat.

Conclusion

The 30-minute post-workout anabolic window is undoubtedly one of the most enduring beliefs in the bodybuilding world. In reality, this window is not timed! Just make sure you eat a balanced meal or whey shake within two hours of your session, especially if you didn't eat anything before the workout.

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