Post-workout Replenishment

by Autumn — February 10, 2017

Did you know that nature (with some help from humans and processing) makes one of the best recovery drinks for athletes that there is? Chocolate milk is touted for its post-workout benefits, due to it’s perfect 4:1 ratio of carbohydrates: protein. It provides the right amount of protein to rebuild muscle tissue that has been broken down, while at the same time providing enough carbohydrates to re-fill the glycogen stores that have been used up while exercising.

While I don’t normally go around suggested that people drink sugar-sweetened beverages (including flavored milks), this drink has long been studied and used by athletes for recovery post-workout, and it is well-documented for this purpose. It happens to be one of my favorite post-long run recovery treats. I know it might sound weird to drink milk right after intense exercise, but trust me when I say it is SO delicious and hits the spot.

That being said, not all milks are created equal, nor do they all seem to have the same benefits for post-workout recovery. Since not everyone can tolerate dairy milks, I’ve created a non-dairy, whole-food version of “chocolate-milk” for post-workout recovery. With a nearly identical 4:1 ratio of carbohydrate: protein, it should help with both muscle recovery and replenishing energy stores.

Recipe:

8 oz chocolate almond milk
1/2 small frozen banana
2 Tbsp natural peanut butter

Blend and enjoy!

beverage chocolate post-workout sports nutrition