NUTRITION FOR RECOVERY

Recovery takes advantage of the phase after exercise to promote adaptive responses to the stress of the workout to make the body FITTER, STRONGER, FASTER…..

The goals are recovery are to:

• Restore muscle and liver glycogen levels.
• Promote muscle repair and building.
• Replace fluids and electrolytes.
• Promote responses of other systems such as immune, inflammatory and antioxidant systems.

Not all training sessions are as demanding on the body and lighter training sessions may not require a specific recovery regime but rather use existing meals or snacks that are part of a suitable eating plan.  Other training sessions may deliberately avoid food or drinks in the recovery phase to drive alternative adaptation, known as ‘train low’. A good recovery strategy supports not only training adaptations but also weight management, energy levels and appetite control by providing healthy food choices and drinks.

GLYCOGEN

Replenishing glycogen is the primary response in the recovery phase. There are ways in which we can manipulate glycogen storage for quicker and more  effective recovery.  However, the extent at which these are implemented depends on the body composition goals of the athlete, the nature of the training session and timing of subsequent training sessions.

For optimal recovery:

• Have carbohydrate within the first hour after exercise.
• The recovery meal/ drink within the 1^st hour after exercise should provide 1-1.2g carbs/kg.
• High Glycaemic Index (GI) carbohydrates.
•  Continue to distribute carbohydrate throughout the day in structured meals and snacks to extend the recovery window.
• Delay carbohydrate intake for certain training sessions to drive training adaptations toward fat oxidation.  Make sure you stabilise your appetite and energy levels in subsequent meals.

MUSCLE REPAIR & BUILDING

Muscle repair and building rates peak 2-3 hours after exercise. They remain elevated for up to 24 hours after exercise. To optimise muscle repair and building after exercise:

• Have protein within 1 hour of exercise
• 20-25g- endurance athletes
• Ideally, High Biological Value (HBV) such as dairy, meat, chicken, fish
• Include 700-3000mg leucine (1 cup milk has 800mg leucine)
• Whey is a ‘fats release’ protein that naturally contains leucine.
• In combination with carbohydrate for insulin response/ anabolic effect

• Distributed protein in subsequent meals and snacks throughout the day (± every 3-4 hrs)
• Include protein just before before bed to extend the recovery window (not all athletes)
• Casein is considered slow release

FLUID

• Replacing fluids from sweat losses is important to ensure the subsequent training sessions or events are not compromised. 
• Weigh yourself before and after an exercise session to work out your fluid losses.  Ideally sweat losses should be limited to 2-3% drop in body weight.  1kg drop in body weight can be equated to approximately 1L fluid losses. 

• Remember, fluid losses continue after exercise due to continued sweating as well as urinary losses which means you need to drink 100-150% of your fluid losses.  These can be more accurately measured using ’urine specific gravity or osmolality’ tests (if possible).
• Drink these volumes over 2-4 hours after exercise for better fluid retention and to limit urine losses.
• Adding electrolytes (sodium and potassium) also improves fluid retention. 
• Avoid alcohol and caffeine over this period as they are diuretics
• Be aware of the ‘urine colour chart’ (see Infographic) to monitor hydration status.  Urine that is light is considered ideal, however athletes need to be aware that copious amounts of very light or clear urine may be indicative of poor fluid retention.