Does every workout require a recovery drink?

A smoothie can be a perfect recovery beverage. 

This blended (or shaken) beverage can be a good source of carbs, protein, electrolytes and fluids, and makes for a well-tolerated snack when fatigue, exhaustion, and dehydration linger post-workout.

But does every workout require a protein-packed smoothie?

❌Skip the engineered foods and expensive shakes and make yourself a nutritious well-balanced meal if:

👉You only exercise once a day and have long recovery periods between two workouts.
👉Your workout is neither intense or high volume.
👉You can eat a meal within 45 minutes of the workout.

✅Certain situations justify a recovery drink before a real meal. Go for the post-workout smoothie if:

👉There are less than eight hours between two workouts.
👉Your workout is high intensity or high volume.
👉Muscle damage has occurred (ex. plyometrics or weight-bearing activity).
👉You can’t eat a meal within 45 min of your workout.
👉Your workout included eccentric movements (downhill running, strength training).

Because your daily energy and carbohydrate needs are higher on intense or high volume training days, don’t be concerned about the extra calories affecting your body composition goals. Take advantage of this window of opportunity to recover, refuel and rehydrate to get stronger, faster and fitter.

If making your own smoothie, follow this order of ingredients for the perfect concoction:
🥄Liquids
🥄Soft foods
🥄Powders
🥄Frozen foods
🥄Sticky ingredients

Alcohol is not a recovery beverage

 

Alcohol is a good recovery drink – MYTH

You see it at many races and in post workout pictures. We can't deny that beer is a popular beverage consumed after exercise/physical activity. It's a way to celebrate, relax and quench thirst. Containing carbohydrates, water and small amounts of sodium and potassium, the nutrition profile may lead you to believe that beer is a suitable rehydration beverage. I can't tell you how many times an athlete has expressed that beer is a great recovery beverage. Well, I hate to say it but beer is not a recovery drink. Sure, the non-sweet carbonation may have an appealing taste, but alcohol can delay recovery and suppress the immune system, increase risk of delayed muscle soreness and sickness - all impairing recovery (not promoting recovery). Alcohol also slows reaction time, judgment, information processing, focus, stamina, strength and speed, which can last up to 72 hours after alcohol intake. Alcohol may also cause hypoglycemia. While a common celebratory beverage, it can also cause restless sleep (you fall asleep quick but sleep is disrupted and infrequent). 

As a poor source of nutrients, alcohol passes readily from the stomach into the blood and goes straight to the liver. Interestingly, when alcohol is consumed, it takes priority over any other macronutrient. The metabolic by-product of alcohol is acetate, which is toxic to the body. Your body is smart and before it metabolizes fat, protein or carbs, it prioritizes removing the toxins from alcohol. Because the body can’t store alcohol, with seven calories per gram, your body has to deal with the alcohol first, instead of helping your muscles and tissues recover with protein and carbs.  If you must celebrate with a beer after an event or workout, choose non-alcoholic over a full-strength beer. However, if you are serious about your performance and health, it’s not worth the buzz as it may impair recovery and health.

Although there may be health benefits to moderate alcohol consumption, I don’t suggest you start drinking or drink more frequently. Moderation is key and in many situations, it’s best to avoid entirely. 

Widespread from the weekend warrior to elite athlete, alcohol is often consumed as a way to celebrate, de-stress or relax. From an athletic standpoint, the use of alcohol, even in a small amounts, may negatively affect hydration status, recovery, sleep, motor skills, motivation, judgment, and overall performance and may cause weight gain, depressed immunity, nutritional deficiencies, elevated cortisol and increased risk for injury. Because of the large variance of alcohol tolerance among active individuals, athletes are strongly discouraged from alcohol consumption before, during and after exercise and around competitions/races. 

Sport Nutrition Product Review - EVO1 vegan meal replacement

First Endurance
Salt Lake City, Utah
Firstendurance.com

About the Company from the website:

First Endurance was started in 2002 because endurance athletes weren’t getting the nutrition they deserved. Like you, the founders had struggled with bonking, cramping and having to ‘make deals with themselves’ to get across the finish line or even just to make it home. They saw their friends dealing with the same dilemmas and knew endurance nutrition could be better. The existing endurance nutrition companies didn’t offer products that met the needs of serious endurance athletes. These companies ignored the small, high-end group of dedicated athletes. They’d been working in the sports nutrition industry for a number of years and knew about the latest clinical research that was being done on endurance athletes utilizing new ingredients and technologies to dramatically improve endurance and performance. It was more expensive than what was currently available to endurance athletes, but it was a lot better. The idea was simple. They wanted to give serious endurance athletes access to formulas that are developed for one specific reason – to maximize endurance performance.

Product Reviewed:

• EVO1 All-In-One Superfood (Chocolate, Vanilla Creme) 

Other Products:

• Pre-race/During: EFS Liquid Shot; EFS Drink Mix; EFS Pro-Drink Mix 
• Recovery: Ultragen; EVO1 
• Daily: Multiv; Multiv-Pro; Optygen; OptygenHP; EVO1

Label Claims:

• Plant-Based 
• 100% Vegan 
• Allergen Free 
• No artificial flavors
• No colors
• No sweeteners 
• No added sugar

Nutrition Facts Examples: Chocolate (Gluten-Free)
Serving Size: One packet 

• Calories: 240 
• Total Fat: 6 g 
• Total Carb: 26 g 
• Fiber: 3 g 
• Sugars: 20 g 
• Protein 21 g 
• Calcium: 60 mg 
• Magnesium: 118 mg 
• Sodium: 210 mg 
• Potassium: 220 mg

Ingredients: Organic sugarcane, pea protein, organic brown rice protein, flax seed, medium chain triglycerides, fruit and vegetable blend (banana, apple, blueberry, carrot, spinach, broccoli, oats, amaranth, quinoa, buckwheat, chia, millet), cocoa powder (processed with alkali), silicon dioxide, inulin, sunflower lecithin, natural flavors, sea salt, monk fruit.

Our notes: 

• Gritty aftertaste - may mix better in a powerful blender
• Mixes well with water in a blender-bottle -  no clumps
• Comparable taste to other vegan protein powders
• Not ideal as a meal replacement (only 240 calories) but appropriate as a post-workout recovery drink
• Ideal drink for plant-based athletes or those who are unable to tolerate animal-based proteins like whey and casein.