Sports Nutrition and Dr. Phil Wagner

During the summer, I interviewed Dr. Phil Wagner in my Hard2Guard Player Development Newsletter (Hard2Guard Player Development Newsletters Volume 2 is now available as an e-book).

In a recent interview for RugbyRugby, Dr. Wagner speaks about nutrition and the importance of a post-workout meal:

Before even discussing supplement options, athletes should make every effort to eat whole foods. Athletes should look to build every meal around a lean protein source, such as beef, fish, or poultry to name a few. The second most important component of your meals should be vegetables, high in fiber and the antioxidants necessary to recover after exercise.

While there are many helpful options among supplements, the only vital aspect is your post workout intake.  After workouts, a liquid supplement provides a quick, easy choice to optimize the higher absorption periods directly after exercise. This supplement should contain twice as many carbohydrates as protein to stimulate an insulin surge and subsequent drive of nutrients into the muscles. There is no need to spend large amounts of money, as a recent study actually found chocolate milk to be superior to many of the major post-workout supplement brands.