By Erin Fergus, M.S., exercise science; ACSM Health Fitness Specialist;
NSCA Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist

Fitness Focus:  Refuel and Replenish - It's All About the Recovery Nutrition

      You come into the YMCA and you are focused…you can’t wait to hit the weights, run on the treadmill, give your best effort in a group fitness class, or swim some laps. You can almost see and feel your body going through positive changes in that ONE workout. If you want to maximize the benefit from what you accomplished while you were here, what you do right after the workout is equally important. 

      The first things you probably think about after a workout are stretching (believe it or not, the jury is still out on whether or not stretching is beneficial), toweling off or taking a shower, making sure you are leaving with everything you came to the YMCA with, and getting back to life (returning to work, going home to take care of the family, catching up on phone messages/e-mails/bills). Eating and/or drinking may not even make it on the priority list, because you think, “Oh, I’ll eat later.” 

      Depending on how intense of a workout you completed, you may not feel or think that you are hungry. When exercising at higher intensities and longer durations, the muscles receive about 80% of the blood flow, and the organs only receive about 20%. At rest, about the opposite is true to keep all systems operating efficiently. When the blood supply to the digestive and excretory systems is reduced, you literally do not feel the need to eat or use the restroom because your organs are operating in slow motion. That does not mean that you do not need to eat, however. You have the opportunity to restore your fuel reserves and better prepare yourself for the next workout, but the most effective window of time to do so is about 15-60 minutes post-exercise.

      Recovery nutrition adequately restores glycogen (the storage form of glucose) in the body, allowing for daily optimal performance. Recovery nutrition allows for proper restoration of muscle glycogen so you can feel strong and fresh for each workout and have more energy to burn. Liquid foods may be better tolerated after a workout or event, including sports drinks, sports gels and water, nutritional shakes, chocolate milk, or fruit smoothies. Even a snack of 50-100 grams of carbohydrate food, 15-20 minute post-exercise, may help to “jump start” muscle glycogen restoration.  Nutrition is important, but it should always be in conjunction with adequate sleep, stress management and proper training (not overdoing it!).
 

Examples of Post-Exercise Snacks
800-1,000 mL sport drink

500 mL 100% fruit juice

large muffin with banana

granola bar with fruit yogurt

3 rice cakes with a large apple

whole wheat sandwich with meat/cheese & fruit

bowl of veggie soup with wheat roll

fruit salad and yogurt

cereal with low fat milk or yogurt
piece of pizza

      Proper hydration is also necessary and required throughout the day, especially when exercising and in hot/humid climates. Weighing in and out can help show hydration status – weight loss = dehydration. At least 8-10 fluid ounces of water or sports drink could be consumed for every pound of body weight lost. Use sport drinks with a low calorie count but small amount of carbohydrates and electrolytes if exercise was longer than an hour to help spare muscle glycogen. Electrolytes, such as sodium, are beneficial because they help the body absorb and maintain fluid. Drinking water only dilutes the sodium in blood and shuts off the thirst mechanism, so you drink less and tend not to hydrate fully during exercise. 

      Once you feel ready to eat a real meal instead of a snack, it should contain 60% carbohydrate, 20% protein, 20% fat. Exercisers training daily will need 5-7 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram (1 kg = 2.2 lbs) of body weight daily.  

      Preparation is key to making the most of recovery nutrition. You will learn which foods you enjoy the most and can tolerate the best after exercise, so you should plan to have some of them in your bag or in the car. Have or purchase a sports drink if you know that you will be doing cardio for longer than one hour. If you live close by, you could have a pre-made smoothie or snack waiting for you in the refrigerator. 

            Think of it this way: You work hard in the gym, but the work continues when you finish. If you want to make the most of what you are attempting to accomplish, you must reward your body by refueling it and resting.                                              

Email Erin Fergus.