‘Muscles are torn in the gym, fed in the kitchen and repaired in bed (while sleeping)’. If you lift, you know this phrase. There’s a legit reason as to why it’s thrown around so often- resting makes the muscle get bigger and stronger, simple. Decoding the phrase further, understand the fact that when we train (weight training), we get micro-tears in our muscle fibres. The level of tearing depends on the workout intensity and the muscle group trained. The bigger the targeted muscle, the larger the damaged area. The amino acids derived from the protein ingested initiates the repairing function for the damaged muscle fibres. At last, while you fall asleep at night, your muscles grow (hypertrophy).

‘Muscles are torn in the gym, fed in the kitchen and repaired in bed (while sleeping)’. If you lift, you know this phrase. There’s a legit reason as to why it’s thrown around so often- resting makes the muscle get bigger and stronger, simple. Decoding the phrase further, understand the fact that when we train (weight training), we get micro-tears in our muscle fibres. The level of tearing depends on the workout intensity and the muscle group trained. The bigger the targeted muscle, the larger the damaged area. The amino acids derived from the protein ingested initiates the repairing function for the damaged muscle fibres. At last, while you fall asleep at night, your muscles grow (hypertrophy).

The whole idea behind explaining this muscle hypertrophy cycle was to make you understand the importance of the last meal you consume before hitting the sack. Why?  It is because your body needs good nutrition for the repair and recovery process while you sleep. Therefore, what you eat before bed, affects your muscle growth significantly. With this piece, I shall be listing the best bed time foods you must consume in some or the other form.

Note: Before incorporating any of the below-mentioned meal plans, just cross check your macros and daily calorie count. 

1) Paneer

Paneer is categorised under casein protein. Casein protein breaks down slowly and provides a sustainable supply of amino acids for 7-8 hours. 100g of paneer gives you around 16-18g of protein, 22g of fat and almost no carbs.

2) Chicken breast with salad

While chicken digests comparatively faster than paneer, consuming it with salad or fat (butter/ghee) will slow down its breakdown in the body. As a result, the muscles will get a constant supply of essential amino acid while you sleep. 100g of chickens gives you a good 23-25g of protein, 4-5g of fats and negligible carbohydrates.

3) Casein Protein Shake (with peanut butter)

A casein protein supplement is the best choice for night time fuelling. It breaks down slowly and provides a sustainable supply of all essential amino acids. Adding one serving (2 tablespoons) of peanut butter along with your casein shake will make it even more of a solid fuel for the night. Just like fibre, even fats take some time to digest in the body. One serving of casein protein along with one serving of natural peanut butter will give you around 32g of protein, 19 grams of healthy fats and 12grams of carbohydrates.

4) Almond whey smoothie

Don’t have casein protein? No need to worry!  Here is how you can use your regular whey and make it work like casein. All you need to do is, just take 200ml of whole milk, one ounce of almonds, 1 teaspoon of coconut oil and one scoop of whey protein supplement. Put everything in a blender and blend it for about 30 seconds. There you go, enjoy your super healthy almond whey smoothie. Almonds are rich in magnesium which is a natural muscle relaxant. Moreover, the added coconut oil has several anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. In one serving of almond whey smoothie, you will get around 38g of protein, 31g of healthy fats and around 21g of carbohydrates.

Source: MensXP
“Eat These 4 Things Before Bed To Build Maximum Muscle While You Sleep” by:Rachit Dua