Refueling post exercise

During exercise lasting less than 1 hour, it is not necessary to eat or drink anything but water.  But you can benefit by eating and drinking the right foods within 30 minutes of completing your workout.  Proper nutrition after your workout can leave you feeling better throughout the day and better prepare you for your next workout session.

It's been known for a while that it is beneficial to have some carbohydrates within 30-45 minutes of completing exercise, and now there are more studies that show that adding some protein speeds recovery even faster.  Remember that if you had a little protein an hour or two before working out that you will have some amino acids in store already to begin rebuilding muscle.  But adding protein to your carbohydrate post exercise can help speed recovery.

There are sports drinks now that have protein added to them.  These drinks tout the fact that they have the optimal carbohydrate to protein ratio for post workout recovery.  But it's not necessary to spend money on these drinks.  Take the example of Michael Phelps who was spotted by a sports writer drinking Carnation Instant Breakfast between races.  If you have kids at home, you probably already have all  you need for an inexpensive and delicious post workout drink - chocolate milk(skim milk of course!).  The sugars in the milk, the sugars in the chocolate mix, and the protein in the milk make it an ideal recovery drink.  Some studies have shown that it is actually a more effective recovery drink than the ones the drink companies make.


Of course, you don't have to drink chocolate milk.  You can also eat your carbs and proteins if you still have an appetite after your workout.  Cheese and crackers, a bowl of Cheerios with milk, a banana with peanut butter, a meal replacement bar, or Gatorade and beef jerky all will give you carbs and protein.  


If you've ever run a fun run, they probably had a good supply of oranges and bananas for the racers at the finish line.  These are also good recovery foods because they will supply lost potassium and carbohydrates.  


Remember that by design, exercise breaks down muscle during and after a session.  But you can stop the breakdown mode by eating as soon as you can after you exercise.  Eating (or drinking a sports drink or chocolate milk) helps your muscles in two ways.  Carbohydrates stimulate the release of insulin, a hormone that helps build muscles as well as transports carbohydrates into the muscles to replenish depleted glycogen stores.  Carbohydrate combined with a little protein creates and even better muscle refueling and building response, and it reduces cortisol, a hormone that breaks down muscle.


Finally, if you are having a real problem of feeling stiff, sore, and tired after exercise, be sure that you are spending 10-20 minutes "cooling down" after exercise to assist in the removal of lactic acid from the blood and muscles.  As an example, spend 10 minutes walking after 30 minutes of running.  The cool down combined with the proper nutrition after exercise can speed recovery for the next workout and leave you feeling fresher the rest of your day.