Thanks to low-carb fad diets, carbohydrates have gotten a bad rap. But carbohydrates are your body’s main source of energy. According to the Mayo Clinic, about 45 to 65 percent of your total daily calories should come from carbohydrates. This is especially true if you exercise.
Consuming the right kind of carbohydrates is important. Many people rely on the simple carbs found in sweets and processed foods. Instead, you should focus on eating the complex carbs found in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and beans.
Why Whole Grains?
Whole grains have more staying power than refined grains because you digest them more slowly. These quality grains have the vitamins and minerals you need to keep your body running at its best. They can help you feel full for longer and fuel your body throughout the day and help stabilize your blood sugar levels.
So how can you consume healthy carbohydrates on the go? Introducing the Sow Bar…
Did you know that carbohydrates are the most important macro nutrient when it comes to optimizing our bodies hormonal response? The Sow Bar has been formulated to match the nutritional protocol of healthy whole-grain carbohydrates, healthy fats and protein.
Why You Should Grab one Post Workout
When you work out, your muscles use their glycogen energy stores. Some of the muscle proteins also get damaged, especially during strength workouts. Eating the right combination of carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, and minerals helps speed the process of rebuilding the used glycogen stores, as well as repairing muscle proteins.
The ideal timing for consuming a post-workout snack is within 45 minutes. By consuming something on the way home from the gym, you can help speed the recovery process instead of halting it by eating hours after your WOD. Convenience is key!
Is Daily Protein Intake Important?
The research on whether protein intake around your workouts is important for maximizing gains is mixed. Some research has questioned whether consuming protein around your workout is even necessary. These opposing results led researchers to analyze the findings of 23 studies on the effects of consuming protein around exercise (18Trusted Source).
The results?
They found that total protein intake was the strongest predictor of muscle strength and size, regardless of whether people consumed it close to their exercise or not. Therefore, how much protein you consume per day is likely more important than when you consume it for gaining muscle size and strength. So the next time you go to drink your protein shake, be sure to eat a sow bar with it!
Sources of Healthy Protein
Both animal and plant products are good sources of dietary protein. Protein shakes can also help you reach your daily protein target.
Plant Sources:
- Lentils
- Peanuts
- Almonds
- Quinoa
- Spirulina
- Chia seeds
- Hemp seeds
- Pumpkin Seeds
- Oats
Animal Sources:
- Poultry
- Red Meat
- Eggs
- Whey Protein – Whey protein is a milk protein that is quickly absorbed by the body, making it useful before or after your workout.
- Casein Protein – Casein is the other milk protein that digests much slower than whey, making it ideal during periods of fasting like sleep.
Summary
Healthy carbohydrates help fuel your energy and sustain you throughout the day. The total amount of protein you consume each day is more important for muscle growth and strength than the timing of when you eat it.
We have a limited supply of Sow Bar’s at the gym now and they are going fast. Be sure to grab one and enjoy it for breakfast, lunch or post WOD!
The Creator Behind the Sow Bar
In 2009 right after college I started to train at West Side Barbell, known to be the strongest gym in the world. I actually saw a guy named Tony bench 855lbs. It’s was crazy.
I couldn’t wait to ask all of the lifters at West Side what they ate to maintain their strength and to help with muscle recovery. As I asked around gym I was surprised to discover what was the most important thing that the athletes put in their bodies. It wasn’t protein shakes or creatine or even a chicken sandwich. The answer was testosterone.
At one point during my athletic career I had someone come up to me and say “If I get a guy like you on testosterone you’ll never work another day in your life (you’ll be rich playing football).” I was tempted.
I couldn’t deny the impact of steroids coupled with hard work. The results spoke for themselves but I didn’t want to bend the rules to make myself stronger. I was disappointed but I knew there was a correlation with strength and testosterone.
It was after around the time of my first RXbar and studying the work of Christopher Walker that I realized that the key to supporting a healthy body wasn’t synthetic substances injected into my body, the key was literally the food that I was eating. Seeing flaws in fad diets like Keto and Paleo and hearing the “Low T Centers” on the radio inspired me to develop the Sow Bar and the Sow’d Protocol.
