How long to supplement protein after strength training

In fact, there is no iron rule of "golden hour" that must be stuck. For most ordinary fitness enthusiasts, as long as the protein intake reaches the standard throughout the day, supplementing within 1-4 hours after training will not affect the muscle-building effect. There is no need to panic about supplementing powder.

In the early years of sports nutrition circles, there was indeed a saying that "1 hour after training is the golden window for replenishing protein, and if it is too late, the muscle training will be wasted." At that time, I also believed it when I first entered the gym. However, in recent years, as research samples have become more and more close to ordinary natural bodybuilders, this statement has become more and more controversial. Many experiments have confirmed that as long as you eat enough protein per kilogram of body weight every day (this can be increased to 2.2-2.8g during the fat loss period), the rate of muscle protein synthesis can actually be maintained for about 24 hours. If you replenish it one or two hours after training, the difference is so small that it can be ignored. A novice programmer student I coached a while ago is a typical example. He often finished practicing just in time for the project launch meeting. Several times, he would eat roast chicken legs and multi-grain rice after practicing for more than three hours. After more than three months, his chest circumference has still increased by 3 centimeters. It is no different from the previous stage when he drank powder every day.

Of course, this does not mean that timing is completely unimportant. If you train on an empty stomach - for example, you wake up in the morning and practice resistance for 40 or 50 minutes without eating anything, or you are an advanced enthusiast who trains twice a day, or a bodybuilder preparing for a competition, then try to arrange a high-protein meal within 1 hour after training. In this state, the body's glycogen reserves are low, and the risk of muscle decomposition is higher. The benefits of timely protein supplementation will be much obvious.

To put it bluntly, it's like decorating a house. The enough protein for the whole day is the cement tiles you bought in advance. The time to replenish after practice is when the workers transport the materials to the construction site. As long as you buy enough in total, an hour or two late delivery will not delay the progress of the decoration. Now I basically follow my own rhythm. After training, I eat home-cooked meals right at meal time. I eat fish and shrimps, fish and shrimps, and chicken drumsticks. If I am in a hurry, I eat a protein bar on the go. I don’t see any slowdown in my muscle gain. Instead, I don’t have to worry about protein supplements, and my fitness level is much better.