Am I Recovering The Best Possible Way?  

        Have you been training for a race, competition, or for that matter just to to stay healthy? Did you just increase the intensity or duration of your workouts and feeling constantly drained? You may be feeling this way from lack of proper nutrition for your training. Your training activities are important to you, but some people neglect good nutrition in their training regiment.

        Nutrition needs to be thought about just like how you have planned your training activities. Eating the right foods and at the right time can help you get the best benefits from your training. You need to make sure you are consuming enough:

1. Carbohydrates

2. Proteins

3. Fats

4. Minerals

5. Vitamins

The main focus for anyone should be to have a well balanced diet. “Choosing from and balancing the traditional four food groups (fruits and vegetables, dairy, meats, and grains) is a simple, effective way to meet general nutrient.”1 While eating the proper foods can benefit your training, you can see greater benefits when consuming foods at the right time. During your workout you deplete muscles of glycogen. Consuming a snack or meal within 30 minutes after your workout starts the recovery process.2 “Some data suggest that post exercise drinks or meals should have a four to one carbohydrate to protein ration to maximize glycogen resynthesis.”1 By not consuming a snack or meal within 30 minutes after a workout your muscles you are prolonging the recovery time from that workout and you may be feeling it longer than you should. When you are asking your body to workout hard and frequently recovery is an important factor. If you continually keep stressing your muscles without allowing proper recovery this can get you feeling drained.

        If you are demanding a lot from your body, recovery is just as important in your regiment as the workout is. By getting in proper nutrient right after your workout you are increasing the chances of feeling better the next day. If you aren’t much for eating a meal after working out something as simple as a fruit smoothie can be just as simple.2

1. Track and Field Coaching Essentials / USA Track & Field; Will Freeman, editor

2. B. Garcia, Recovering From Workouts, November 15, 2015