Roughly an hour or two later, you want to have another solid-food meal that should be similar in
composition to the pre-workout meal. For the purpose of better absorption, you want to keep the
fat content low, particularly saturated fats. The timing of this meal will depend on the size of
your shake as well as your appetite. Obviously you can't eat until you are hungry again. If you
are drinking a large shake that is very filling for you, it might take two hours for your appetite to
return substantially enough to allow you to eat a solid meal. Conversely, a lighter shake should
digest faster and you should theoretically be ready to eat just an hour later. Also note that there
tends to be more bloating and gas associated with lower-quality grades of protein powder. They
tend to taste good, but contain large amounts of lactose. Do yourself and your loved ones a
favor and spring for the good stuff.
A note on sodium
Many bodybuilders have it in their heads that sodium is bad for them and should be avoided.
They intentionally remain on very low-sodium diets year-round when the fact of the matter is,
you only need to be concerned about sodium intake in the final few days before a contest when
you are attempting to shed subcutaneous water. Without proper amounts of dietary sodium, you
simply won't be able to get a pump. Some of you may have experienced this when competing. If
you are trying to pump up and haven't had more than trace amounts of sodium for a couple
days, your muscles will be totally flat and unresponsive, even if you are eating carbs and
drinking some water. Then, if you go out and have a burger and fries after the judging, your
muscles seem to magically inflate, and you are able to generate an excellent pump for the night
show! Sodium helps transport carbs into the muscles, so by all means don't be afraid to put a bit
of salt on your food. I actually encourage my clients to get their sodium from condiments like
ketchup, mustard, and barbecue sauce in the off-season. It should be noted that for any of you
with medical conditions such as hypertension or diabetes that require you to adhere to strict
low-sodium diets, always observe the guidelines set forth by your physician or your dietician.
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