Eat after your work outs!

Bryce's Favourite
Post Workout Shake

I've probably mentioned it twenty times in class over the months but to say it again; after a workout your body is in damage control mode. Your muscles are being worked intensely, there may be some microtrauma (sounds daunting, but it's just what happens when you work hard) and their stores of glycogen (sugars) are very low. If you don't have anything to eat right after your body stays in damage control mode, slowly repairing and restoring your muscles at your next meal, possibly 3-6 hours after your workout. If you get some of the right foods in to your system your body goes right in to repair mode, getting you ready for your day and for your next workout.

A lot of research has shown that getting some protein and carbohydrates soon after a workout can help you recover faster and more completely with less muscle soreness (delayed onset muscle soreness or DOMS if you want to look it up) on the following days.

Here's a shake recipe that I like but you can add and subtract at will to find the way you like it. You'll need a blender, magic bullet, or an immersion blender and a deep bowl to make this.

1/2 - 1 cup frozen mango chunks (fresh is good too, just time consuming)

1/2 - 1 banana

1/2- 1 cup of Greek Yogurt (Liberte 0% fat is good, very high in protein)

1/2 - 1 cup of 100% Coconut Water (O.N.E. is good, just stay away from Caribbean versions with sugar)

1/2 - 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder (cocoa camino is good, but any cocoa will do the job)

1/2 - 1 scoop chocolate whey protein powder (Natural Factors is good)

You may not like protein powders so make sure you go 1 cup with the Greek yogurt and 1 teaspoon of cocoa. Again, play around with this combo, but mango, coconut, and chocolate are delicious together. I add the max. on all the ingredients but that might be too much for you so play it by ear.

Try to have this shake within a half hour of getting home. Another idea is to make this before you go to bed, have half before you leave for class and half right when you get back. Some people argue that it's not proximity to your workout that you eat, but proximity to your workout in absorption of the carbohydrates and protein.

If this doesn't suit you just try to keep the following in mind. Protein and carbohydrates after a workout help you recover, so eat something after you work out.

Have a really good long weekend! See you all on Tuesday.

Bryce