I'm looking to start supplementing for the first time, but still trying to get as much of my macro nutrients from real food and use the supplements to make up the shortfall. Carbs and Fat are no problems, but decent meat is expensive and I want something I can take after a workout.

My goals are to gain strength with minimum bulking up and to gain no fat to help with my climbing. I've heard that having some hi gi carbs in a post workout shake aids the protein absorbing and stops it being used just for fuel and was wondering what the minimum I can get away with is? I've seen bodybuilding sites suggest 2:1 Maltodextrin to Whey, but there aim is slightly different to mine so was wondering if I needed that much? I was thinking of mixing it all together with skimmed milk.

Edit: Or could I just dump the carbs in the shake and have a piece of fruit and a cereal bar?

As far as trying to figure out how many carbs you should take in after a workout, the minimum recommendation I see most often is that your post-workout nutrition should have at least a ' carbohydrates to protein ratio ' of 2 grams of carbohydrate for every 1 gram of protein - just as you noted above

That said, while a 2:1 ratio is a common minimum you see cited, a 4:1 is the suggested ratio I see most often recommended. However, there are many opinions out there as to what the ' optimum ' ratio actually is. There is certainly no ' hard & fast ' rule perhaps other than carbs grams should be at least equal to ( or exceed ) protein grams .....post workout.

In terms of absolute numbers, the norm I go by is is to take in about 0.5 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight post workout. Extrapolating based on this 4:1 ratio, that'd put protein at about 0.125 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight.

As for what type of carb you should take in, again, any carb with a HI GI score somewhere between 70 - 100 will help optimize the rate at which your body refuels itself. You mentioned maltodextrin above - which a good example of a carb with a HI GI score score ( close to 100 I think ). But, any HI Score ' carb will do. Simply a carb with a GI score of 80 or above would be a good way to go IMO. Some quick examples of some 80+ Score carbs you could store in your gym bag to have along with your protein shake would be......

- pretzels
- Rice / Corn Chex cereal
- Crispix cereal
- jelly bean candy
- gummi bear candy
- Rice cakes
- dates

Thanks for you help! I think I'll try using a mix carbs to go with the whey and see what what works best, maybe get some from a banana or other fruit.

Oats are good in shakes

ever try vanilla protein powder in OJ?? it tastes awesome!!!

I've spent quite a while formulating an awesome shake..

1-1.5 scoops whey
3 cups skim milk
1 banana
3 servings dextrose


It's a good one.

So you're saying I'f I'm taking let's say 40 grams of protein post workout i should have 160 grams of carbs? Many people don't get that many carbs in a whole day, let alone in only one meal.
Also, 160 grams of fast acting carbs doesn't sound too healthy to me.
4:1 sounds really excessive, I don't see it having more effect than 2:1.. I think 2:1 would do the job just right, I'm telling you from personal experience

Keep in mind Wrangell is a known carb fiend/addict. It aint nothing for him to inhale 160g of sugar after a workout














Kidding..

Nice one guys, had the whey a few weeks now so had a chance to try different mixes. Think my favorite so far has to be whey, oats, skim milt, choc nesquick and some maple syrup, but my stomach cant take that straight after a workout so keep that as the morning one. Post workout drinking it with a smoothie seems a nice way to get sugars and vitamins as well.

Is there any advantage to Maltodextrin/Dextrose over regular sucrose (sugar)? Is there any problem mixing up the shakes a few hours before you take them? Your combo sounds good RWS, I thought about it when I ordered my stuff, but need to get a blender to give it a go.

Whats the nutritional breakdown of nesquick?

Dextrose. I use a 2:1 dex/pro ratio. Carbs to pros

I know dextrose has a much higher GI than table sugar. Table sugar doesn't even have that high of a GI, I believe it's like 55 compared to dextrose at 100.

Yeah man, a blender is essential for my shake

Per 100g
Energy 367 kcals, Protein 4.2g, Fat 3.2g, Carbs 80g

Ingrediants: Sugar, Fat Reduced Coco Powder, Dextrose, Soya Lecithin, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Vitamins, Panthithenic Acid, Magnesium Carbonate, Cinnamon

Ok, so its quicker absorbing, that makes sense. I always thought sugar would be as high as it goes, but gi can be confusing sometimes. How well do your shakes store?

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Chillen

yeah bananas with a choc shake is the ****!