Does anyone have a good suggestion for a post workout recovery drink? There are so many of them on the market. I just started Insanity and really want to take advantage of my workouts with a good recovery drink.

water.


Then eat food. Real food with some carbohydrates and some protein. If you want to get very specific aim for 3-4 g of carb for every gram of protein.

i drink EAS whey protein, sometimes with milk, sometimes with straight water, depending on how much I've eaten that day. It has like 23g of protein a serving, and doesnt taste too bad. I've noticed that my muscles feel better and recover faster with the drink.

i drink a glass of milk, especially when i cant afford muscle milk protein powder (either because of caloric, or monetary reasons).

I usually drink plenty of water with lemon or sometimes coconut water.

But the trainers at my gym consistently recommend chocolate milk (skim or 1%). Something about having the right amount of carbs and proteins for muscle recovery.

Hope that helps!

Thanks for the input! I know I can't do food after a work out, just because I cannot physically force myself to push it down, so a drink is the route I will be taking.

i swear by my chocolate milk (1% with dark chocolate powder) pkus knowing I'm going to have some chocolate milk really motivates me!

Chocolate milk!! Saw this while I was doing my usual health news update. Found the article on WebMd
*****

Chocolate Milk Refuels Muscles After Workout
Study Shows Carbohydrates and Protein in Chocolate Milk Help Muscles Recover From Exercise
By Charlene Laino
WebMD Health NewsReviewed by Laura J. Martin, MDJune 4, 2010 -- Fat-free chocolate milk beat out carbohydrate sports drinks at helping to rebuild and refuel muscles after exercise, researchers report.

The combination of carbohydrates and protein in low-fat chocolate milk appears to be "just right" for refueling weary muscles, says William Lunn, PhD, an exercise scientist at the University of Connecticut.

"It's not just a dessert item, but it's very healthy, especially for endurance athletes," Lunn tells WebMD.

The research involved eight male runners in good physical shape who ate a balanced diet for two weeks. At the end of each week, they took a fast paced, 45-minute run.

Following each run, the men drank either 16 ounces of fat-free chocolate milk or 16 ounces of a carbohydrate-only sports beverage with the same number of calories.

Post-exercise muscle biopsies showed increased skeletal muscle protein synthesis -- a sign that muscles were better able to rebuild -- after the milk drink, compared with the carb-only beverage.

Additionally, drinking fat-free chocolate milk led to a higher concentration of glycogen, or muscle fuel, in muscles 30 and 60 minutes after exercise, compared with the sports drink. Replenishing glycogen after exercise helps future performance, Lunn says.

The findings were presented at the American College of Sports Medicine conference in Baltimore this week.

While only men were studied, one would expect women to gain the same post-workout benefits from chocolate milk, he says.

While the studies were small, there's no reason not to reach for fat-free chocolate milk after your next workout, says sports nutritionist Nancy Clark, MS, RD, of Healthworks Fitness Center in Chestnut Hill, Mass.

"Athletes can consider it an inexpensive nutritional alternative to engineered sports beverages for help with post-workout recovery," she tells WebMD.

The studies were supported by a grant from the National Dairy Council and National Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Board.

This study was presented at a medical conference. The findings should be considered preliminary as they have not yet undergone the "peer review" process, in which outside experts scrutinize the data prior to publication in a medical journal.

I don't know if this is "scientifically" beneficial, but I think it tastes good and it works for me on the days that I don't have the time or stomach for food.

8 oz. 2% milk
4 oz. Bolthouse Green Goodness
3 T. MLO Super High Protein Powder

Mix it up in a blender and serve over ice.
Cal 302; Carbs 28; Protein 33

Also, according to this article, "There are two phases of post-activity nutrition: immediately after activity and within two to three hours after activity."

I'm very impressed, thanks for the article on chocolate milk!! I'm not sure how it stacks up to other post recovery drinks, but looking at the nutritional value online, it appears somewhat on target. The protein to carb ratio is right on too! And considering I'm calcium deficient, this is a good thing for me to consume milk.

Green monsters! I love them after a long run!

You can add as many ingredients as you like, but the basics are

spinach
banana
almond milk
ice

read more about them here - http://greenmonstermovement.com/

I can eat food after a run, but I also like smoothies - greek yogurt, frozen strawberries, perhaps a banana, milk, other random fruit and a sweetener of choice. It's like a strawberry milkshake, and can be low-calorie depending on serving. During the summer, I always want something cold. You can also freeze the banana in chunks and it acts like an ice cube.

I agree with Ennay - I try to eat things that are minimally processed so I stay away from protein powders and packaged sport stuff.

I know that a lot of people have said that they like milk. I don't really like this as a post workout drink because it takes a long time for milk protein to kick in. So i don't feel that it would be that great right after a workout when you need something right away. But whey protein works faster, if you mixed them together i think that would be good.

THere are a lot of drinks out there that have so much sugar it's not worth it to drink. All the information I have read says it needs to be high in protein. I have started drinking Odwalla Protein Monster drinks. They come in chocolate, which are delicious.

I do a cup of skim milk with two tablespoons of hershey's lite chocolate syrup. 140 calories no fat. Excellent for after strength training.