You need carbs to build lean muscle.

If you get stuck in the “no carb” diet, you’re going to burn too much muscle, especially if you don’t consume enough fat, but we’ll talk about that another time.

Alright, fast carbs – why do we need them?

Fast carbohydrates, the sugars, white flours, rice, grains, and those food groups that spike our insulin, are good for us when consumed at the right time of the day – Post Workout.

Fast carbs spike our insulin, like I just said. Insulin is an absorption hormone, and very important when it comes to us building muscle, burning fat, and keeping our gains lean. We need them to FEED OUR MUSCLE.

That spike in insulin helps us absorb whatever we’re consuming, when it’s after a workout, that means the protein powder that we’re taking with our post-workout shake. The spike in insulin sends the protein to where our blood is pumping to: our muscles.

This helps them grow and repair. If we don’t have carbs after a workout we’re missing out on a very powerful 15-minute post-workout window when our red blood cells are still sending nutrients to our muscles.

So, what carbs should we take Post Workout?

Option #1

Fruit. Fruits like apples (apple juice), bananas, mixed berries, and so forth, are great for that insulin spike, they’re also very good for us. Pre-blend a shake with a high quality protein powder so you have it ready to consume after your workout.

Option #2 (the best option)

There are carbohydrate supplements that are designed to help spike insulin, feed our muscle, and burn fat. If you go by a per-serving basis, it also ends up being as cheap, or cheaper, to have your carbs as a supplement vs a fruit. Learn more about my favorite post workout carb in the video below: