Sweat. Smoothie. Repeat.
You're putting in the work - now, get the gains!
Every athlete knows your body needs fuel to perform well.
But, are you too busy to properly refuel?
Here's what your missing out on...
Why Athletes Need to Refuel for Optimal Performance
To optimize your performance the next time you step onto the ice, field, court or floor, you need to refuel your body. After your workout, whether that's a practice, weight training routine, cardio-workout, or game, your body needs nutrients to repair and refuel.
5 Ways Smoothies Help Athlete's with Recovery from Exercise
Refuelling your body after exercise with the best nutrients (which you can put into a smoothie for a fast snack) can improve your next workout in 5 ways:
- Improve recovery - better performance tomorrow
- Encourage your tissues to repair
- Promote adaptations in your muscles - build better muscles
- Build stronger, more capable muscle
- Improve your mood …and, everyone appreciates it when you aren't hangry!
There are advantages to providing your body with the building blocks it needs to adapt, rebuild, and repair after exercise. Consuming nothing offers no advantage (and, may even be a disadvantage). How well are you fuelled?
Are Smoothies Good for Athletes?
If you're a busy athlete, sometimes finding healthy, fast fuel that is hard. Smoothies can be a good food solution.
(Plus, all you need are some healthy ingredients, and a blender.)
Can a Smoothie Improve Your Performance?
Smoothies can be packed with helpful nutrients, including carbohydrates, protein, good fats and plant-based nutrients, such as antioxidants.
Your body is a machine that needs ALL of these nutrients to perform at its best!
What Are Good Ingredients for an Athlete's Smoothie?
Depending on when you’ll be drinking your smoothie, the optimal ingredient to enhance your workout will vary.
There are 3 key big types of nutrients (called macronutrients) you need to fuel your athlete.
Of course, it's impossible to ignore the benefits of leafy greens for athletes - so, it's making it on the must-have smoothie ingredient list for your workout.
4 Must-Have Smoothie Ingredients for Your Workout
- Carbs (fruit, vegetables, gluten-free oats)
- Protein (yogurt, nut butters, powders, plant-based mylks, etc)
- Fats (coconut milk, nuts, hemp seeds, dairy)
- Leafy Greens (spinach, kale, powders)
1. Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are the fuel that your body burns when you're playing your game. There are different types of carbohydrates, your body's favourite fuel source. Similar to the gas pumps, there are premium fuels - for athletes, these can be found in whole foods, such as: fruits, leafy greens, salads, potatoes, squash, beans, nuts, seeds, oats and other whole grains.
2. Protein
Protein is the building blocks your muscles need to push, pull, stride, glide, climb, jump, and twist. Proteins come in all sorts of food, including vegetables, edamame beans and nuts. Sometimes protein sources also contain a lot of fats, such as in animal meats or fish.
3. Fats
Fats are what makes your cells able to send messages from one to the other - literally, every cell in your body is lined with fat. Depending on the type of fat, it can help you as an athlete or hinder your ability to perform and recover. In general, deep fried, fast foods and processed packaged foods contain fats that slow you down. Fish, olives, avocado, nuts and seeds contain the types of fats that help you recover.
4. Leafy Greens
Leafy greens are exactly what they sound like - leafs that are green, tasty and edible. Some are better in smoothies than others. Spinach is a fan favourite because it pretty much disappears once blended, with very little impact on your smoothie's flavour.
The Importance of Antioxidants in Exercise Recovery and Sports Nutrition
Exercise or workouts can be taxing on your body. It causes your body to make a lot of oxidants.Oxidants damage your muscles and other body parts.
Luckily, antioxidants can stop the damage!
Be sure to include lots of plants in your day - as an athlete, you want those antioxidants.
Here's an easy salad recipe to get more antioxidant-rich plants in your day.
Should I Put Protein in My Smoothie?
As for protein in your smoothie, it's a great idea if you're looking for a long-term fuel (protein makes you feel fuller, longer).
Protein offers your body the needed building blocks to repair and recover after exercise.
But, there is mixed evidence as to whether there is an advantage to fuelling your body with protein prior to a workout.
Is Whey Protein the Best for Recovery Smoothies?
Honestly, you choose the protein powder that works for you. Whether that's driven by taste, price-point, sustainability or ingredients.
(If you need some support in making a choice that's best for your goals, I can help.)
How to Best Fuel Your Athlete(s)
It's time to get the results you want - that's possible with proper nutrition.
But, where do you start?
Your athlete's schedule can be a challenge. Certain foods are convenient, and others are simply disliked making it harder to find fast fuel.
Come get the one-on-one support you need to excel at your sport with a private nutritional consultation with national champion and Registered Holistic Nutritionist, Allison Tannis.
OR
Get the entire team FUELLED up to win with an interactive, sport-specific workshop.
Let's go!
References:
Nitrate intake promotes shift in muscle fiber type composition during sprint interval training in hypoxia. Front Physio 14 June 2016.
International society of sports nutrition position stand: nutrient timing. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2017 Aug 29;14:33.
Nutritional interventions for improving the endurance performance in athletes. Arch Physiol Biochem 2020 Mar 30;1-8.
Effects of protein supplementation on performance and recovery in resistance and endurance training. Front Nutr 2018; 5: 83.
Physiological and nutritional aspects of post-exercise recovery: specific recommendations for female athletes. Sports Med 2011 Oct 1;41(10):861-82.
Micronutrients and athletic performance: a review. Food Chem Toxicol 2021 Dec;158:112618.
Antioxidants and exercise performance: with a focus on vitamin E and C supplementation. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2020 Nov; 17(22):8452.
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