I have had quite a few done and they always say nothing wrong. I’d pay privately for more, to find out why I am like this - rather than go back to the GP again I have been so many times for the same thing. Got myself referred to Endocrine eventually - discharged as haven’t got diabetes. Got fasting glucose tolerance tests done which showed reactive hypoglycaemia. Got referral to private medicine under Medicash for another opinion who just referred me back to NHS endocrinology. I also take a lot of trouble to top-up my Huel with extra vit and minerals which is difficult to work out as I get a certain % with Huel.
Thanks. I’m always looking for people who have the same thing cos to people who haven’t got this makes no sense. Conclusion I come to is milder form of M.E but then don’t know what to do about it. Its only after exercise which takes the body out of its confort zone even to a small extent i.e. physical work (even though I enjoy it when I do the exercise and always do it in the vain hope this stops). If I don’t exercise but just do gentle walking and housework for e.g. don’t get any adverse effects from wheat. or any food.
I’ve worked out myself from reading I have insulin resistance and it makes sense but again the answer is supposed to be eat every 3 hours low glycaemic index foods. I can do this and be ok when do not exercise but as soon as I do get extreme exhaustion which knocks me out for rest of day. I have been to GP many many times to the point that they won’t be any more blood tests its awkward to go again about the same thing and makes me feel like I’m viewed as a hypochondric when I’m not.
p.s. I only thought of putting this on the Huel forum as people were talking about taking 2 scoops breakfast and 2 scoops for lunch and I wondered if they exercised.
James Collier I may try taking Huels at different times e.g. all 3 scoops before I exercise and then ignoring hunger afterwards or maybe aking another small Huel meal. When you say you have between 1 and 3 Huels a day do you mean 3 scoops per time? When do you take these in relation to exercise if yo don’t mind me asking. Thanks p.s. if anyone else has a regime with Huel and exercise please let me know, and whether Huel satisfies your appetite after exercise
Hi the Huel nutrition team recently posted a guide on the Role of Nutrition in Exercise here
I find Huel works well as breakfast pre-workout but I often need coffee and an energy sachet immediately before hand if I’m doing something really intensive.
I always use Huel post workout as a recovery drink. I’ve not tried Huel Black for this purpose yet but I personally find I need both carbs and protein for muscle repair and to avoid DOMS.
For me - Huel post workout is the best thing ever. I’ve previously struggled to find food suitable and convenient to take with me to the gym or on mountain bike rides. If I don’t eat immediately post-workout, I get really bad DOMS and exhaustion. I find drinking plenty water plus taking electrolyte tablets is helpful too if I’m doing high intensity for more than 2 or 3 hours.
By “post-workout” I mean minimum one hour (but usually much more) of high intensity aerobic and weight training, or 3-4 hours of mountain biking which requires strength and aerobic fitness.
If I’m doing weight training alone or aerobic only (eg running), I don’t need to fuel so carefully, but still use Huel afterwards to give me the energy to get home and reduce my hunger (otherwise I get home shaking and starving and eat a load of crap!)
Remember, the most important time to fuel for an exercise session is after the previous exercise session.
I have 1-3 x 2 new-size scoops per day. I’m following a time-restricted eating protocol currently, so I’m not eating for hours after my morning workout, but I am having something about an hour before my evening workout.
Huel does satisfy my appetite.
I’ve seen you say this a few times and it always sounds bananas. Like, remember, the best time to put petrol in your car is after you need it.
I know human bodies don’t work like cars, but I don’t really understand why. Is it because it’s better to burn stored fat?
Nah, you’ve misunderstood.
He means the best time to put petrol in your car is after the last time you used it so it’s full for the next journey
If you didn’t fuel properly after your previous workout, your body won’t have repaired and refuelled effectively enough to perform at it’s best the next time. You’re effectively always in deficit then, making your system weaker and weaker with every workout
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At a guess because:
An exercise session creates small amounts of damage in muscles.
Your body needs to repair this and starts to do so pretty much as soon as you finish exercising.
This is when it needs fuel to repair muscle damage to create shiny new muscle tissue which you will use in your next exercise session.
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Yeah but the next time won’t be until the next day or a few days later. Isn’t it good to have “loose” fuel swishing around for your muscles to burn?
Aha! That makes sense! So you’re not fuelling the car so much as beefing up the engine.
Lol it’s not loose fuel, your body will use it to repair and grow the muscles and you get stronger with every workout
The cat’s out of the bag. I’m more of a practical scientist than a theoretical one.
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Very briefly…
You’ve just trained - presumably really hard - and your muscle glycogen (carbohydrate) stores have been run low. Your blood insulin level is also low. Having some carbs will raise the insulin level slightly which will help get glucose into the muscles to replenish the glycogen stores ready for the next workout. Also, muscles will need repair and this involves protein and insulin is involved here, too. Protein is more readily taken up by the muscles to support repair. Optimal recovery, means you’re all set for the next session.
As well as carb and protein replenishment, hydration is also important. For every gram (approx) of glucose being drawn into the muscle to be stored as glycogen, 3g of water are also taken up.
Hope that makes sense. Of course, there’s a bunch more to this, but that’s the basics.
(I used to follow this protocol, but I’m actually not at the moment, but that’s because I have different motivations.)
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That does make sense. Ta!
Thanks so much to everyone who has replied…interesting and useful