Nutrition after late night workouts.

[tanndex]

This is my first post, so bear with me.

My wife and I usually begin our workouts at about 8:30 or 9:00 pm, sometimes later. My question is should the meal/shake that is consumed after the workout vary from the prescribed ones due to the late hour of the workouts? I have been making a protein shake consisting of protein only (or very low carbs) or having a small serving of cottage cheese. I have 1/2 about 30 - 45 minutes before and the other 1/2 after my workout. My wife has a shake after. Any differences between what I should do and what she should do?

Thanks.

[jbartke]

When do you go to bed? What do you the rest of your meals look like?

[Defiant1]

There are many different variables that would play into what you should be consuming after a "late" workout. Are you trying to lose fat or gain muscle? What time do you actually go to bed? What is your nutrition like outside of the pre/post workout? What is your preworkout nutrition like?

I used to have to work out late at night, 9pm, and it does mess with your schedule some, but its not too bad. On nights that I had a late workout planned, I would normally try to eat a good dinner with some lean protein, smaller amount of fats for taste, and some type of starch or other carbs a few hours before the workout. It would usually amount to something like broiled/baked chicken breast, baked potato with pat of butter, steamed broccoli with a spritz of olive oil and lemon juice and maybe an apple or some other type of fruit.

Then after my workout I would drink a smoothie made with a cup of milk, scoop of protein powder, 1/2 cup cottage cheese, and some frozen berries or fresh fruit blended in. It was a perfect "night cap" that would leave me feeling full which always helps me sleep, gave me some quick digesting proteins as well as some slow digesting proteins, and some clean carbs for pwo.

Something like that may or may not work for you and your wife. Like I said a lot of things are dependent on each of your goals and what your nutrition looks like the rest of the day.

[tanndex]

jbartke and Defiant1 thanks for the input. jbartke - After working out, I usually have trouble falling asleep before 11:30 pm or midnight. My wife's other meals are basically the Zone, but she tries to make the carbs lower glycemic index carbs. My nutrition is also the Zone/Body for life. I am going to try the TNT diet and see how that works.

Defiatnt1 - Thanks for the tips. My wife's goal is fat loss and mine (like every other male in the universe) is a combo of muscle gain and fat loss.

Thanks again for the help.