01/04/09
Nutrition: The Post-Session Recovery Shake
The first 30 minutes post training is the most crucial time to kick start the recovery process. At this time your body is the most receptive to the nutrients you provide it, namely carbohydrate. Your body right now will absorb carbohydrates 2-3 times faster than a few hours post training. It is also primed to take in protein more effectively. After you read this, you're going to want to train more just to enjoy more of this delicious post-session recovery shake!
Category: Nutrition
Posted by: Vinnie
What does this mean? With the right food choices you will restock your muscles carbohydrate stores and repair muscles damaged during training/racing. When your post session fuelling is done right, your body will handle subsequent training sessions better.
Check out ironChef Charlotte's video version here!
The goals for this window of opportunity are to:
* Fruits: To provide slow release carbohydrates, electrolytes and reduce blood acidity
* Juice: To provide fluids to rehydrate
* Glucose: A quickly absorbed energy source
* Protein: To stop further muscular breakdown and replace what was used
* Sodium: Fruit and juice do not contain enough of this super important electrolyte
Fill a blender with between 350-700ml of juice, basically the more you weigh the more juice you need. If your around 50kg use the lower end and if you nearing 100kg use the upper end.
Good juice choices are apple, grape, orange, pineapple, and tropical as they have high glycemic loads and electrolytes.
Then add a piece of fruit (from the list below), add glucose (see list for type and amount), then a good quality protein powder (2-4 TBSP), add two or three pinches of table or sea salt. Throw in some ice cubes unless you used frozen fruit pieces.
Note: This shake is for sessions that either had a significant amount of intensity or were long endurance sessions as using this shake can add weight when used after easy or recovery sessions. When the session is short <60min or low intensity make the shake without the glucose.
Fruit list:
* 1 medium apple
* 1 medium banana
* 1 cup frozen berries
* 1.5 cups cantalope
* 1.5 cups grapes
* 1 large orange
* 1.5 cups pineapple
* 2 cups strawberries
* 2 cups watermelon
Glucose:
You will need between 2-6 scoops depending on your weight
* 45-50kg use 2 TBSP
* 50-59kg use 3 TBSP
* 60-70kg use 4 TBSP
* 71-90kg use 5 TBSP
* 90+kg use 6 TBSP
Types:
* High 5 Resource (IF you reside in Australia or the UK and Europe)
* Carbo Pro
* Poly-joule from your local chemist (Australia.. basic maltodextrin)
NOTE: We could also put in here -- for the extremely time poor or when a training session finishes away from home (ie. you have to drive) then a simple, cost-effective, quick post session recovery drink is chocolate milk!
Milk contains 90% water, which will help with rehydration. It also has a 4:1 carbohydrate-to-protein ratio (16 oz. or 470ml of chocolate milk has 52g of carbs and 16g of protein). The extra sugar will help to quickly restock expended glycogen and milk also contains vitamins and minerals. Chocolate also rich in flavornoids that act as antioxidants and may help against cell damage.
Check out ironChef Charlotte's video version here!
The goals for this window of opportunity are to:
- restock expended carbohydrate stores
- rehydrate
- provide amino acids for protein resynthesis
- start replacing lost electrolytes
- reduce the acidity of body fluids
* Fruits: To provide slow release carbohydrates, electrolytes and reduce blood acidity
* Juice: To provide fluids to rehydrate
* Glucose: A quickly absorbed energy source
* Protein: To stop further muscular breakdown and replace what was used
* Sodium: Fruit and juice do not contain enough of this super important electrolyte
Fill a blender with between 350-700ml of juice, basically the more you weigh the more juice you need. If your around 50kg use the lower end and if you nearing 100kg use the upper end.
Good juice choices are apple, grape, orange, pineapple, and tropical as they have high glycemic loads and electrolytes.
Then add a piece of fruit (from the list below), add glucose (see list for type and amount), then a good quality protein powder (2-4 TBSP), add two or three pinches of table or sea salt. Throw in some ice cubes unless you used frozen fruit pieces.
Note: This shake is for sessions that either had a significant amount of intensity or were long endurance sessions as using this shake can add weight when used after easy or recovery sessions. When the session is short <60min or low intensity make the shake without the glucose.
Fruit list:
* 1 medium apple
* 1 medium banana
* 1 cup frozen berries
* 1.5 cups cantalope
* 1.5 cups grapes
* 1 large orange
* 1.5 cups pineapple
* 2 cups strawberries
* 2 cups watermelon
Glucose:
You will need between 2-6 scoops depending on your weight
* 45-50kg use 2 TBSP
* 50-59kg use 3 TBSP
* 60-70kg use 4 TBSP
* 71-90kg use 5 TBSP
* 90+kg use 6 TBSP
Types:
* High 5 Resource (IF you reside in Australia or the UK and Europe)
* Carbo Pro
* Poly-joule from your local chemist (Australia.. basic maltodextrin)
NOTE: We could also put in here -- for the extremely time poor or when a training session finishes away from home (ie. you have to drive) then a simple, cost-effective, quick post session recovery drink is chocolate milk!
Milk contains 90% water, which will help with rehydration. It also has a 4:1 carbohydrate-to-protein ratio (16 oz. or 470ml of chocolate milk has 52g of carbs and 16g of protein). The extra sugar will help to quickly restock expended glycogen and milk also contains vitamins and minerals. Chocolate also rich in flavornoids that act as antioxidants and may help against cell damage.