NUTRIENT TIMING IN RESISTANCE-TRAINED WOMEN 
                                                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                    Alexis Ann Pihoker 
                                                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                          
                                       A thesis submitted to the faculty of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in partial fulfillment 
                                         of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the Department of Exercise and Sports Science 
                                                                                                                                 (Exercise Physiology) 
                                                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                             Chapel Hill 
                                                                                                                                                    2018 
                                                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Approved by: 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Abbie E. Smith-Ryan 
                                                                                                                                                                                           provided by Carolina Digital Repository
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Eric Ryan 
     View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk                                                                                                                                      brought to you by     CORE
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Eric Trexler
                              
                              
                              
                              
                              
                              
                              
                              
                              
                              
                              
                              
                              
                              
                              
                              
                              
                              
                              
                              
                              
                           © 2018 
                         Alexis Ann Pihoker 
                       ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
                            ii 
        
                              
                              
                              
                          ABSTRACT 
               Alexis Ann Pihoker: Nutrient Timing in Resistance-Trained Women 
                    (Under the direction of Abbie Smith-Ryan) 
        
          The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of different peri-workout nutrition strategies 
       on strength, body composition, and metabolism in trained females.  Young, trained females (n=43) 
       completed body composition and strength testing before and after training.  Participants were randomized 
       into three groups using baseline leg press strength; pre-exercise supplementation of a protein-
       carbohydrate shake (PRE), post-exercise supplementation (POST), or a control group (CON).  Following 
       baseline testing, participants were trained twice per week for six weeks using high intensity resistance 
       training.  At the first and last training, metabolic testing was completed before and after exercise.  There 
       were significant main effects for time for LM (p=0.003) and %fat (p<0.0005).  All three groups 
       experienced significant increases in strength.  There were no significant between groups differences for 
       metabolic measurements (p>0.05).   These results demonstrate that peri-workout nutrition is potentially 
       important for body composition, but either a PRE or POST strategy is effective.
                            iii 
        
                              
                              
                              
                       ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS  
          I would like to thank my committee for their leadership and support throughout the process of 
       completing this thesis project.   
          I would also like to thank my lab group for assisting me in testing and training all of the 
       participants.  I greatly appreciate their willingness to take time from their busy schedules to help me. 
          I want to thank the girls that volunteered to participate in this study.  They were such a joy to 
       interact with weekly.  Furthermore, it was so fulfilling to have the opportunity to watch them gain more 
       strength and confidence in the weight room.   
          I would like to thank my friends and family for always loving and supporting me through every 
       one of my endeavors.   
          I want to thank Dr. Smith-Ryan, my advisor, for her patience, time, and direction in mentoring 
       me over the past two years.  This project would not have been possible without her assistance and 
       support.  She has helped me grow as both a student and individual.   
                              
                              
                              
                              
                              
                            iv