FOOD facts #2

Here's a secret to get you ready for a slender, toned and shaped 20ten - with the most recent fat burning nutrition study
Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009 Dec 4. [Epub ahead of print]

1. This study took a small group of trained individuals in a double blind (ie neither the researchers nor the participants knew what they were getting) crossover design to compare a pre-workout protein supplement to a pre-workout carbohydrate supplement.

2. Both groups then completed a high intensity workout.

3. Both groups showed a significant increase in resting energy expenditure for up to 48 hours post workout (as we would expect from the afterburn effect of high intensity training), however the protein group had a significantly higher increase than the carbohydrate group for up to 24 hours.

4. The researchers concluded that timing a protein supplement prior to weight training may be a simple and effective strategy to increase energy expenditure by elevating the post workout "afterburn effect" which in turn could facilitate reductions in body fat mass and improve body composition if nutritional intake is stable.

Bottom line - adding a pre-workout protein supplement will increase the afterburn effect of a basic weight training program significantly when compared to a carbohydrate supplement.