Let's say you have been training hard and you just consumed your postworkout shake but suddenly feel like doing 30 min of cardio. Would the body then use the protein you just ate as fuel instead of recovery?
Let's say you have been training hard and you just consumed your postworkout shake but suddenly feel like doing 30 min of cardio. Would the body then use the protein you just ate as fuel instead of recovery?
That's a good question. Nope, energy will be pulled from glycogen. Your body won't take in the nutrients of the shake that quickly anyways.
Yeah I think you will find the protein will go to the muscles first and energy for your cardio will come from other sources...
Although, if you were training fasted, it might change because your protein might then be acting as your glycogen if you haven't had any carbs...maybe?
But if you do cardio straight after lifting and your shake, it should be all good. Just be sure to get some more good food, protein and carbsm in after you have done your cardio to replenish your muscles after that too.
As long as you fuel both workouts, it will be all good.
Jordan
If you blew through your glycogen stores during your workout, then the protein you consume will most likely go to providing energy for the body. This is not problematic though. Your body's primary source of fuel is carbohydrates. When they are absent, lipids and proteins fuel the body. This is how cardio burns fat storage.
Also, different levels of cardio intensity utilize different fuels- with regards to resistance and heart rate.
Something to look into!
I know that energy comes from the glycogen but I'm cutting slowly and can't eat a lot of carbs so therefore I'm concerned about where my energy is coming from. It's hard to know how much carbs is needed for fuel in the body during workout and usually I'm training on an empty stomach. So the whole doing cardio after shake had me thinking.
If you can't eat a lot of carbs, I would recommend getting most of them in pre-workout. You main concern for carbs after working out is probably those simple, fast acting ones like dextrose.
And if you are training fasted, like @AnabloicAliens said, your lipids and protein are there for fuel. And given you have just used protein to fuel your muscle workout, you may find that your fat stores are then accessed for the cardio.
Jordan
Shahin,
Don't be too concerned. The body uses protein as a last resort for fuel. When your glycogen levels are low, your insulin levels are as well. The body releases more growth hormone in this state. Growth hormone preserves muscle and protein and tells the fat cells to release their stored energy for use. In your situation even if your glycogen stores have been emptied, the majority of the protein you consume will go to the muscles as well as any carbs you eat post workout. The only protein in the post workout shake that may be used for energy are the Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs). They are designed to not only stimulate muscle growth but also sacrifice themselves for energy to preserve muscle.
John
Thanx everyone