Changes

After exercise, the muscles become sensitive have increased sensitivity to insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is released in response to a rise in blood sugar. It is often considered A Bad Thing, as it will normally cause the blood sugar to be stored as fat. However, after exercise, insulin will cause the blood sugar to be stored as glycogen in the muscles and cause protein to be used for muscle synthesis. If you take carbohydrate and protein within 45 minutes of exercise, the insulin sensitivity can be continued for up to 6 hours.

[[File:Insulin sensitivity and exercise with nutrition.jpg|none|thumb|500px|How exercise increases insulin sensitivity, and with nutrition the sensitivity persists.]] Without nutrient intake, the muscles' insulin sensitivity will decline after exercise, returning to normal levels in about 2 hoursand actually become insulin resistant. (There is some evidence that The nutrition from any food or drink taken while the muscles will actually become are insulin resistant if no nutrients are takenwill be stored as fat, leaving the muscles deprived.  [[File:Insulin sensitivity and exercise without nutrition.) If nutrients are taken promptly after jpg|none|thumb|500px|How exerciseincreases insulin sensitivity, but without nutrition the sensitivity can continue for up to 4 hoursdisappears and they actually become insulin resistant. ]]