When To Drink Muscle Milk For Maximum Benefits

A tough workout can feel amazing. You put a solid effort into your training, and your body will reward you with results if you know how to fuel properly. While you don't want to start your workout with a full stomach, you don't want to start with an empty stomach either, especially if you're interested in gaining strength. That's why it's a good idea to have something in your stomach between one and four hours before your workout, depending upon your workout's time of day (via WebMD).

During your workout, your body is in a catabolic state, which means that you're breaking down muscle and other tissues. After your workout, your body is in repair and rebuild mode. That's why this window, within an hour after your workout, is the best time to refuel your body to help you recover from your workout. Consuming protein in the form of a Muscle Milk shake allows your body to quickly absorb the nutrients to help build muscle tissue (via Cleveland Clinic).

Depending on your body weight, you'll need between 10 and 20 grams of protein to help your body recover and rebuild after your workout (via Forbes). Rather than saddle up to a smoothie bar or wait until you get home to your blender, Muscle Milk has ready-to-drink protein shakes that you can stash in your workout bag that will meet your protein needs. Muscle Milk's Genuine Protein ready-to-drink bottles have 25 grams of protein with 160 calories, 4.5 grams of fat, 9 grams of carbs, and 6 grams of fiber.

You'll also get a healthy amount of vitamin A, D, and C, as well as iron, calcium, and potassium. This post-workout shake has no added sugar, but it's sweetened with sucralose. Many of Muscle Milk's products (but not all) have NSF Certified for Sport certification, which means they are free from contaminated ingredients. However, you might need some additional carbohydrates to replace your glycogen levels (via Forbes).

You might think that a good protein isolate with no carbs or fat is best for after your workout, but you'll need other macronutrients. "Avoid pure protein right after the workout, because your body will just use it as energy again," registered dietitian Tara Collingwood told Forbes. Finding the right ratio of carbohydrates to protein after your workout depends on your type of workout.

If strength training is your thing, you'll still need 2 grams of carbs for every gram of protein after your workout. If you drink a Muscle Milk ready-to-drink shake, you'll probably need an additional 40 grams of carbs to help your body refuel. Endurance workouts will need a 3-to-1 carb-to-protein ratio. However, if your workout is moderate and lasts 45 minutes or less, a Muscle Milk protein shake might not be necessary.

To add more carbs to a Muscle Milk shake, try pouring an 11-ounce bottle of Muscle Milk over 1 ½ cups of oats. Allow them to sit in your refrigerator overnight. Add some fruit the next day for a good post-workout meal.