Best Post Workouts for Women – Top 5 for 2017

An intense workout will deplete your body of carbohydrates and break down the protein structures within your muscles. If you don’t quickly refill your body with lost nutrients, you can end up with annoying muscle soreness, which can negatively impact your next workout.

The best post workouts for women are perfect for refueling your body with macronutrients, and they can give your body the protein it needs to rebuild your muscle tissue.

Post-workout supplements are designed to be used immediately after you’re finished training, and they’re great for strength straining and general fitness.

Since women don’t get as much protein in their daily diet, a post-workout supplement serves as an excellent source for protein, but with hundreds of products to choose from, you need to know what a post-workout supplement is and how to choose a good product.

Click Here to Jump Ahead to the List

What Are Post-Workout Supplements?

A pre-workout supplement should be taken before an intense workout, and a post-workout supplement is designed to be consumed immediately after the training session.

Most of these products are formulated with an emphasis on recovery, and they contain a powerful blend of protein and carbs. If you don’t already know, carbohydrates are used by your body as fuel, and you need plenty of them before and after every workout.

It’s especially important to get plenty of carbs if you’re planning to exercise for at least 30 minutes. You can think of carbohydrates as fuel for your muscles, and when you consume a post-workout supplement, the carbs are stored in your muscles as glycogen.

After the glycogen in your muscles is depleted, you’ll feel fatigued, and it will become increasingly difficult to continue your workout. A post-workout supplement serves as a great way to refuel your body with carbohydrates, and since most of these products also contain protein, they’re great for recovery.

An intense workout will break down your muscle fibers, and to make sure that your body repairs the muscles and increases your strength, it requires an adequate amount of protein. With help from a post-workout supplement, you can supply your body with the exact nutrients it needs to repair muscle tissue.

Benefits of Post-Workout Supplements

Post-workout supplements are formulated with the key ingredients needed by your body, and by consuming a high-quality product after every workout, you’ll enjoy several great benefits.

Women can use a post-workout supplement to increase protein synthesis, decrease protein breakdown and replenish glycogen. With help from a high-quality post-workout, you can replenish your energy stores, increase muscle strength and repair the microscopic damage caused during your workout.

As long as the product contains plenty of carbs and protein, you can benefit from improved recovery, reduced muscle soreness and enhanced immune system functioning.

During an intense workout, your muscles are broken down with microscopic tears, and your body uses all of the glycogen that is stored inside of your muscle fibers.

The nutrition from a post-workout supplement is used for your body to make essential repairs, and over time, your body gets leaner, faster and stronger. The process is called protein synthesis, and it’s responsible for increasing your body’s athletic performance.

After every workout, you have a specific amount of time to refuel your body and prime your muscles with the nutrients they need for repairs.

Although protein synthesis continues for 48 hours after your workout, the two hours immediately following the workout is the best time to refuel your body with essential nutrients, and a post-workout supplement makes it easy to take advantage of this opportunity.

How Much Should I Take?

Most post-workout supplements contain a mixture of carbohydrates and protein, but to optimize muscle repair and recovery, the main focus should be on protein. If you don’t know how much protein to take, it’s best to follow the recommendations on the product label.

However, there are some general guidelines that you can follow, which can help you determine how much product to consume. By consuming a large amount of protein after your workout, you can increase the efficiency of protein synthesis and enjoy faster recovery.

For the best results, you should make sure your post-workout supplement gives you at least 40 grams of protein after your workout. Carbohydrates are useful for refueling your muscles and increasing your energy level after a workout, but the major ingredient that you need to focus on is protein.

Most post-workout supplements will tell you exactly how much to take when you’re finished with a workout, and for the best results, you should always follow the recommendations from the manufacturer.

However, since the general guidelines for protein say to consume 40 grams, you should consume as much product as needed to hit this number.

What to Look for In a Good One?

When shopping for the best post-workout supplement, you need to know what to look for. An intense workout is only half of the equation, and if you’re not getting the nutrients your body needs to repair, then you won’t get the full benefit from the workout.

All high-quality products should offer the main ingredients, and the ingredient that holds the most importance is protein. In fact, protein is the major building block for all of your muscles, and it’s essential for maximum protein synthesis.

Put simply, your body needs protein to rebuild tissues and grow. Even if you’re not trying to put on a huge amount of muscle, you should consider a post-workout supplement that has plenty of it.

A great post-workout supplement will also have carbohydrates, which are essential for replenishing muscle glycogen. You’ll find that most post-workout formulas contain protein and carbs, but some of the best products might also have BCAAs, creatine, electrolytes, L-Glutamine or detoxifying agents.

Creatine is viewed as a secondary source of fuel for your muscles, and it can significantly improve athletic performance. BCAAs are very important for muscle repairs and growth, and since your body can’t make them by itself, it’s a good idea to get BCAAs from a post-workout supplement.

What to Avoid

It’s true that post-workout supplements can improve recovery and replenish muscle glycogen, but there are several mistakes that you must avoid while using these supplements.

One of the biggest mistakes that a lot of women make is not allowing enough time for a proper cool down. When you’re finished with your workout, it’s important to give your heart enough time to slow down and return to a normal operating range.

If you consume a post-workout supplement before your vitals have been time to cool down, it can upset your stomach and make the rest of the day uncomfortable.

The strategy for building lean muscle mass and improving your athletic performance is 70 percent nutrition. A common mistake that people make when using a post-workout is believing the supplement will do all of the work.

If you want to get the most from these products, they should be combined with health meals. Many women enjoy their post-workout shake with a nutritious meal, and by consuming real food with your shake, your body will have all the nutrients it needs to repair itself.

Another mistake to avoid is consuming the post-workout supplement too long after your workout. For the best results, the supplement should always be consumed within two hours after every workout.

My Top 5 Women’s Post Workouts

Below are brief reviews for five of the best post workout supplements for women that I’ve come across over the years.

Cellucor Alpha Amino Supplement

One of the best post-workout formulas for women is the Cellucor Alpha Amino supplement, and a single container comes packed with 30 servings. The flavor for this product is fruit punch, and a single scoop is one whole serving. With each serving, you’ll get potassium, magnesium, calcium and several BCAAs.

This product offers an innovative formula, and it’s designed for post-workout nutrition. The ingredients contained within this product are great for women, and they can help you get fit and build lean muscle.

The Cellucor Alpha Amino supplement is formulated to fuel endurance, recovery and hydration, and with a BCAA blend included, it can shorten your recovery time and improve muscle endurance.

If you’re looking for a product that will help you outlast your competition, this formula is worth considering. The unique blend of ingredients allows you to conquer muscle soreness and get into shape.

Where to Get It: Currently Unavailable

Optimum Nutrition Amino Energy

Here we have another top post-workout supplement for women, and each bottle offers 30 servings. Unlike several alternative products, the Optimum Nutrition Amino Energy supplement contains green coffee extract and green tea, which are great for energy.

When you finish an intense workout, your energy levels are low, and the green tea extract can boost your energy for the rest of the day. A single serving is two scoops, and with a unique amino blend, this supplement is a great choice for post-workout nutrition.

Each serving offers 100mg of caffeine, which is derived from natural sources, and you get five grams of free form amino acids. Since this supplement is only five to 10 calories per serving, it’s ideal for women who’re trying to lose weight and get into shape.

The Optimum Nutrition Amino Energy supplement is great for your post-workout nutritional needs, but it also serves as a powerful energy source when used before a workout.

If you decide to consume it after a workout, you should use one to two servings, and when used as a pre-workout shake, you should use between one to three servings. This product can enhance your focus, energy and performance, and it’s easy to mix with cold water.

Where to Get It: Buy it on Amazon for about $18

BPI Sports Best BCAA

The BPI Sports Best BCAA supplement is another great post-workout product for women, and the BCAA formula is designed for improved protein synthesis. This product is designed to take your muscle gains to the next level, and you get 300 grams of product in each container.

A single serving is one scoop, and you get 30 servings per bottle. The blend of BCAAs in this supplement helps to prevent your body from going into a catabolic state, and it can reduce the amount of time needed for recovery.

If you’re searching for a supplement that will stimulate protein synthesis and take your muscle growth to the next level, then the BPI Sports Best BCAA supplement is worth considering.

Unlike some other products, this supplement isn’t based around hype and false claims. The formula is different because it’s focused on BCAAs, and for maximum absorption, it’s created with a bonding process that uses oligopeptides.

Where to Get It: Buy it from I’ll Pump You Up for about $22

Muscle Pharm BCAA 3:1:2

The nutrition that your body receives after every workout is very important, and with the Muscle Pharm BCAA 3:1:2 formula, you can make sure you’re giving your body everything it needs to repair itself. The manufacturer of this post-workout supplement for women is Muscle Pharm, and a single bottle is packed with 240 capsules.

However, you’ll need to consume eight capsules per serving, which is a bit excessive. The main benefits from this supplement come from the BCAA blend, and by consuming this product after a workout, you can prevent your body from going into a catabolic state and increase your overall strength.

Some other key benefits of the Muscle Pharm BCAA 3:1:2 formula are increased muscle mass and faster fat loss. The reason why this product is unique is because of its 3:1:2 ratio, which is an optimal blend of BCAAs for women.

Leucine holds a greater importance than the other major BCAAs, and with three grams of this vital nutrient, the Muscle Pharm BCAA 3:1:2 formula maximizes your ability to build lean muscle mass.

Where to Get It: Buy it from I’ll Pump You Up for about $20

Gym Vixen Sexy Recover

One of the best post-workout supplements for women is the Gym Vixen Sexy Recover, and with a powerful blend of ingredients, it’s great for reducing muscle soreness and stimulating your body’s protein synthesis.

Unlike many post-workout supplements on the market, this one is specifically formulated for women, and it can accelerate muscle recovery.

This product is also good at boosting endurance and increasing energy. Serious athletes understand the importance of nutrition, and they know that progress doesn’t stop when they exit the gym.

To maximize your lean muscle mass and get into shape, you must feed your body the nutrients it needs to repair muscle tissue. Gym Vixen Sexy Recover is formulated with the perfect blend of ingredients for women.

Where to Get It: Buy it on Amazon for about $35

Final Take

After you finish a workout, you have a small window of time to give your body the nutrients it needs to repair and replenish your muscles. With the best post-workout supplement, you can make sure that your body receives the nourishment it needs to maximize your time in the gym.

What to read next: Best Creatine for Women – Top 5 for 2017