Protein bar products are popular around the world with people who want to build muscle as part of their workout routine. The question that often gets asked is, when is the best to eat one? What time of day will benefit your muscles the most? Well, spoiler alert – it’s after your workout, as your body needs the fuel in order to let your muscles recover and ultimately grow.
However, that’s only part of the story – something you’ll find out about by continuing on.
Using Protein Bars After Your Workout
Ok, so after you’ve gone through your workout, a protein bar is a great idea so that your muscles get lots of what it needs to repair and grow your muscles. Generally speaking, you have around an hour during which to eat one, as this represents what’s known as the ‘anabolic window’.
This period of time is the optimum moment in which to get protein into your body, ensuring that your recovery goes as planned.
A Couple of Hours Before Your Workout Is Also a Good Time
Another good point to ingest protein is a couple of hours before you head to the gym. That’s because you need fuel to work out and it ensures that you give your body enough time to metabolise it before you start working out. That way, you won’t end up feeling dizzy or queasy, having eaten too close to your physical exertions.
Eat too close to working out and you risk…
- Hindered performance
- Sluggishness
- Bloating
- Nausea
- Reflux
If you’ve got all this going on during your workout, there’s very little chance you’re going to be able to perform as you’d like.
They Make a Great Mid-Afternoon Snack Too
We all get those mid-morning and mid-afternoon hunger pangs – it’s only natural for active people who need body fuel! However, you don’t want to hinder your progress in terms of fitness, so you can’t afford to start reaching for high-salt snacks (crisps) or those made with refined sugar.
Instead, try having a protein bar, as they’ll provide you with a good strong burst of energy without the crash that comes after eating junk food. They represent an awesome addition to your diet that will mean you’re not constantly having to think of new and inventive ways to resist daytime snacking.
The Protein Bar Is an Essential For Active People
In addition to being really chocolatey and nutty (depending on the brand you go for), protein snacks offer a satisfying and filling option that compares very well against other options.
They don’t give you that post-sugar crash that so many other snacks do, and they’ll keep you going throughout your day job, during your workout and beyond.
So, if you’ve not yet been using these great-tasting, energy-boosting, stamina-improving snacks as part of your workout routine, maybe now’s the time to switch.
They might just mean the difference between you hitting your personal fitness goals and coming up short. Something to think about indeed.
