One of the best habits I have, is taking in some recovery fuel, after pretty much every workout I do. Recovery fuel is a specific food, that you consume within 30 minutes of finishing a workout.

It is important to take in recovery foods quickly after working out.  You also want the food to be something that is very easily absorbed by the body.  This is because the purpose of the fuel is twofold:

• You want to replace muscle glycogen that was utilized in the workout
• You want to help the muscle synthesis process repair muscle fibers that may have been damaged.

It is important therefore that your fuel contains both carbohydrates and protein. The recommended dose is typically something like a total of 25-30 grams of carbohydrate.  The ratio of carbohydrate to protein is recommended to be between 3:1 and 4:1.

My favorite recovery drink is Cocoa Elite Complete Recovery Protein.  This powder is actually slightly higher in protein than the recommended ratio at 2.5:1. As an older athlete I am very concerned with muscle preservation, so I like the extra protein.  The drink comes in powder form, and after mixing with water, it tastes just like chocolate milk.

What do you use for your recovery fuel?