Part 3: Post-Workout / Recovery Nutrition
Eating, hydrating, and recovering after activity - including GENTLE nutrition. Simple tips for when you don’t have access to proper fueling techniques. Cherry smoothie recipe. Sleep tips and tricks!
Recovery for athletes is not an option if you want to keep moving for life and improving for your sport. And this certainly does not mean that you can’t still practice gentle nutrition - but as a friendly reminder, the athletes that recover from movement with adequate food and fluids recover faster and crush it on game days compared to those that skip meals! This is where the basic foundation of your nutrition comes into play. Replenishing post-workout means having about 3:1 carbohydrates to protein at your next meal. This means the goal is an actual meal - not a protein bar, not a protein shake. A bowl of pasta with ground meat, shredded parmesan or a black bean chipotle bowl are just two examples of this type of meal combo.
Respecting what your body needs and recognizing internal cues can help you get to this point easier and with more compassion - however with intense exercise appetite can most definitely be affected, so hunger will not be the same when your activity routine is at its peak. Your body however will thank you if you have this full and complete meal including about one-third carbohydrates, protein, and color plus fats. Just as with any period of time in eating - there may be obstacles in you having access to food in general or maybe it’s the timing of your next event. Having quick options and having formed a plan B for eating if your ideal situation is disrupted is key for successful long-term performance and recovery. If you are in a break before you are competing/playing again in 30 minutes or so I’d suggest anything along the simple carbohydrates I recommended in the pre-workout blog post, you can find it here.
Carrying with you liquid nutrition for post-workout if you are experiencing decreased appetite for 1 hour or longer is very helpful to get started replenishing glycogen stores. For those who can afford smoothies as liquid nutrition, this can be a great option if you’re on the road or going to be home to make one. If your budget doesn’t allow for this or you don’t have access to fruit, dried fruit, mixed nuts, protein powders, string cheese, milks for replenishing, peanut butter crackers, fruit snacks - this means a sports drink is certainly better than nothing (like a Gatorade). Liquid nutrition is incredibly helpful post-exercise and before your next meal. Considering we are looking to replenish fluids through the sweat lost in your activity - anywhere between 16-24 oz of fluid per pound of sweat lost, liquid nutrition can be a great starter before your next meal after activity. Refer to my most recent post about hydration for help in replenishing electrolytes and why this is so important and keep in mind that electrolytes can be consumed the night before if needed to keep up with early morning training or activities.
Your plate ideally should look something similar to this (not exactly) but just for the ratio of carbohydrates to protein - notice the carbohydrate amount is about triple the size of the protein and you are not prioritizing vegetables and protein over carbohydrates.
SOME KEY POINTS ABOUT ESSENTIAL NUTRIENT IN RECOVERY
Carbohydrates are stored as glycogen in the muscles, and glycogen is partially depleted in exercise while proteins are also broken down. This is why we need to prioritize carbohydrates as well as the protein after our activity.
Fats provide energy, assists in vitamin absorption (vitamins A, D, E, and K), help maintain body temperature, regulate hormones, support immune functions, and facilitate nerve function. A very low fat diet can result in deficiencies and contribute to menstrual dysfunction in females and a decrease in testosterone levels for males.
Protein is essential for muscle tissue repair and building lean muscle tissue. Protein also makes up hormones, enzymes, antibodies, and this replenishing macronutrient is helping build systems in your body at a cellular level all the time! So keep consistent with including this at meals and snacks and refer to my pre-workout nutrition post if you missed this one where I talk about protein around your activity.
Vitamins and minerals assist with repairing and building muscle, they also support immune and nerve functions - and play a huge role in energy production, blood and bone health.
Antioxidants that are included in plants also decrease oxidative stress and are helpful in time of injury and repair as well.
Ideally replenishing as soon as you can or within 30 minutes to 1 hour post-workout is going to realistically help with recovering, getting into the routine of eating, and being able to eat adequately.
SOME SIGNS OF UNDER FUELING
Binge eating
Undesirable muscle loss
Poor performance
Increased injury/illness
Constantly thinking about food / constant hunger
Hormonal irregularities
CHOCOLATE CHERRY SMOOTHIE - A great option for those who have difficulty eating food post-workout for an extended period of time.
As an athlete, cherries are also a wonderful food to include at any point to promote recovery due to their polyphenol content that supports optimal recovery, sleep quality, and these taste amazing too! The polyphenols in sweet cherries may help reduce or prevent inflammation and oxidative stress caused by intense movement. Sleep may be improved when including cherries because they contain tryptophan and melatonin - both in which support quality and duration of sleep. Some other ideas include cherry: tart cherry juice, dried cherries in your oatmeal, energy bars, or topped on a yogurt. Micronutrients in cherries include vitamin C, potassium, B vitamins. At the time of this post (late Spring/May in Virginia Beach, Virginia) we are just getting into the cherry season. However, frozen and dried options can be utilized year round.
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cup pitted cherries
1 frozen banana
1/4 avocado
1 tablespoon chia seeds
2 tablespoon cacao powder
1 scoop (chocolate) protein powder
1 cup spinach/kale
1 1/2 cups low-fat milk
Optional: pinch of salt
SLEEP
Last but definitely not least - is sleep, one basic need for recovery. It may come hard for some and it is definitely a complicated topic for many. But, if you can help it - getting the optimal 7-9 hours of sleep will not only decrease your chances for chronic disease but also crucial in recovery as an athlete. Individual needs will vary for optimal sleep duration, especially those undergoing tremendous stress. Lack of sleep can impact: inflammation, training and performance negatively, cognitive function (think reaction time/memory!), insulin, as well as building muscle.
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP GET A BETTER NIGHT’S SLEEP?
Stick to a consistent sleep schedule (if you go to bed between 9 and 9:30 pm each night and wake-up at 5:30 am - keep up the routine!)
Include movement into your routine regularly - this can also help manage your stress
If you can get outside and see the sun within 2 hours of waking this will also help with your sleep cycle, stress, and hormones
Eat foods rich in magnesium (whole grains, leafy greens, legumes, etc.) and include melatonin containing food like cherries
Find time to wind-down and get a good pre-bedtime routine that focuses on no light/blue light
Limit afternoon caffeine (especially 6 hours leading up to bed)
Limit alcohol - alcohol if consumed in excess can dehydrate you, it can also affect your REM sleep and quality of sleep so keep this in mind, limit so that you can hydrate and fuel properly
Sleeping - according to recent research - sleeping in an environment of 60-67 degrees Fahrenheit is the most ideal sleep condition
FINAL TIPS FOR GENTLE NUTRITION AS AN ATHLETE
Plan meals to work for you not against you or your routine
Body attunement - not logging food/tracking steps - obsessing over numbers
Awareness - not obsessing - meaning be aware of your nutrition, but no there is no such thing as a “perfect diet“
Be aware of 3 pillars of recovery nutrition: 1-adequate hydration, 2-adequate eating, and 3- adequate sleep - like what was outlined in this post
Do no restrict your intake, even if it is a rest day :)