Post Workout Nutrition-Its ALL about Recovery

What the body needs AFTER a workout

It's ALL about recovery!  After exercise our body needs carbohydrates and fluids to replace the water and glycogen lost during your activity.  In addition, the body needs Protein to help repair any damaged or lost tissue.  Protein after your workout is also essential to help build new muscle in response to your activity. 

After Your Workout:

1. Immediately (or very soon after) Drink a protein shake or eat foods high in protein along with re-hydration
2. Then 2 hours after your workout, consume additional proteins and carbohydrates

Believe it or not, RECOVERY is almost as important as the workout itself!

Why Protein Post Workout?
Proteins are a major component of muscle tissue. And with billions (yes billions!) of muscles in the body, including your heart, you may begin to see why keeping muscles built, repaired and healthy is essential for athletic and overall health.  Proteins are a combination of approximately 20 different amino acids and create a multitude of biochemical reactions. Here are just a few proteins that are hugely important for any athlete:

• Insulin-helps regulate blood-glucose levels & drives glucose into cells for energy
• Pepcin-helps digest protein foods into amino-acids to be absorbed into blood stream
• Collagen-component of skin & connected tissues (tendons & cartilage)-key to agility and mobility
• Hemoglobin-transports oxygen to muscles & other tissues throughout the body
• Actin/Myosin-responsible for muscle contractions

So to summarize, Protein is essential to Build Muscle, Repair Muscle and create Healthy Muscle! And as essential as protein is to the body, our bodies do NOT make protein, it needs to come from our diet.

What Type of Protein:
Protein is found in a variety of foods. And it DOES matter to the body that you choose protein sources that are healthy, complete and offer all 9 amino acids:

• Essential amino acids cannot be made by the body. As a result, they must come from food.
• The nine essential amino acids are: histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine.

Remember that while, Dairy, Meat, and Eggs offer high protein, many also offer high saturated fat-so consume those less often.  Salmon is a great protein source and it is also rich in iron, b vitamins and omega's which have been proven to help with the heart-an essential muscle. Grains, legumes, nuts, nut butters, beans, and soy offer a great amount of healthy protein without the added cholesterol-so consume these more often. 

While I enjoy cooked meal, I don't always have time or have something prepared after my workouts or running events.  This is why I love the, "quickness" of an after work-out smoothie. I almost crave a healthy protein shake as it is quick, convenient and offers the added benefit of hydration and little or no cholesterol.

I have found that using the Shaklee, Physique product has helped me to fight those sometimes voracious cravings after an intense work-out and especially after my 1/2 marathons.  In addition, using the Physique also reduces any muscle soreness to a complete zero!  I love how simple it is to mix up, I truly enjoy that Shaklee has done the clinical studies to make sure it works, it is safe, and I do love the creamy banana flavor too. (see below for clinical study on Physique)



Additional Tips:

You are what you eat!
Here's a great quote from Jordan Malone, Olympic short track speed skater, winning Bronze in 2010, and Silver in 2014 Jordan:  "Remember that your body is like a machine—if it doesn’t get the fuel and care it needs then it won’t work. Active people need protein, carbohydrates, sugar, electrolytes, and more to keep our bodies tuned.  If you don’t maintain your body properly then things start to break down." 
You've heard it before, you truly are what you eat! Remember that on "off" days, it is still essential to consume well balanced diets and treat these days as refueling days to stay hydrated, choose healthy foods, and supplement wisely.

  
Alcohol:
While those beer runs sound like loads of fun...it is not a good idea to drink alcohol after workout especially immediately after workout as alcohol interferes with rehydration and the loading of carbohydrates into muscle.  This can slow recovery and even lead to injury :( If you do choose an alcohol beverage, be sure to rehydrate with additional water and recovery drink.

Chocolate Milk:
I know, its convenient, and for many, it tastes good. However, even with all the latest hype, Chocolate milk isn't the best choice for recovery.  Its full of sugar, artificial ingredients, and yes, dairy. While many people avoid dairy for allergy reasons, there are many who believe that dairy really doesn't do the body good.  In addition to the added sugars and artificial ingredients, many studies have shown that dairy may actually be unhealthy for a variety of reasons.  Learn why to avoid dairy here.


Protein Drinks
If choosing a protein powder (which I recommend) be sure to choose a plant based, non-gmo, product that offers all 9 amino acids. In addition, be on the lookout for artificial sweeteners, artificial colorings/flavorings, or other questionable ingredients as these additives offer NO health benefit and certainly NO athletic benefits! Again, I use the Shaklee protein products as I trust their quality and love the results!

And Just for fun...how many muscles are in the human body? Would you believe over 50 billion!~
                  With all these muscles to keep healthy-remember to feed them well!

• 200 muscles that might get discussed in a gym
• 100 more muscles that are pretty obscure, but most massage therapist still knows about them
• 400 more muscles that are really danged obscure, but various specialists know about them
• several million hair-raising muscles
• several billion smooth muscles cells blended together
• exactly 1 heart muscle 

Pictured on the left is a Clinical Study on the Shaklee Physique product confirming it offers greater muscle recover than carbohydrates and proteins alone.


To your health,

Denise Gaskell
Gaskell Healthy Solutions