Recovery. Such a massive topic – between ice baths, pressure boots, rollers, massage and sleep, where does nutrition fit into it all?
The benefits of nutrition when it comes to recovery are pretty impressive – so if it isn’t something currently at the front of your mind, read through the key considerations below and get cracking!
When is Recovery Nutrition Important?
No matter if you are training once per week or more than 10 times a week, recovery nutrition is something that can absolutely help with performance – both in life and in your sport.
Now the good news is, that all your hard work isn’t wasted if you miss the often over exaggerated 30 minute ‘Window of Opportunity’. There is no need to obsess or become anxious about this window, even though we know that muscle fueling does peak at around the hour mark. However, as refueling is not only needed in the first hour, but rather the next 24-48hrs, there is plenty of time to consider and optimise your recovery.
So if you have done a pretty easy session or have a full day to recover before your next training session, chances are that you can just use your next planned meal or snack as your recovery food – as there is no need for fancy supplements or sports foods unless they offer convenience or help if you have high energy needs.
However, if you have multiple training sessions planned for the day or have undertaken an intense or long workout/event, you will need to pay more attention to your recovery nutrition. The sooner you start to restore muscle glycogen and repair damaged muscle, the faster your recovery will be for the next session. So if you can, aim to get your first recovery meal or snack in within the hour and then continue with intake from there!
Simplifying Recovery with the 4 R’s
Repair
Refuel
Rehydrate
Revitalise
Refuel
Refueling is about replacing the energy you used during your workout, game, or event. When your session is intense, long, or involves bursts of effort, it uses up a lot of your body’s carbohydrate stores. To recover well and feel ready for your next session, it’s important to restore those energy levels with the right foods. A good refuel sets you up to train or play again, helping you perform at your best next time.
Carbohydrate can be found in options such as:
Breakfast: Oats, toast, beans, muesli/cereal, yoghurt and milk
Snacks: Yoghurt, milk, fruit, muesli, dried fruit, crispbread, toast/crumpet, smoothie
Lunch: Bread, rolls, wraps, rice, quinoa, pasta, fruit, yoghurt
Dinner: Rice, quinoa, couscous, pasta, breads, potato, sweet potato
Repair
To kick-start recovery after exercise, it’s helpful to include some protein along with carbs in your meal or snack. Aim for around 15–25g of protein to support muscle repair and rebuilding.
Protein is made up of smaller parts called amino acids, which help your muscles recover and grow stronger after a workout or game. Combining it with carbs gives your body the energy and building blocks it needs to bounce back and get ready for the next session.
Protein sources could include:
- Dairy – such as milk, yoghurt, cheese
- Eggs
- Animal protein such as beef, pork, chicken, fish
- Lentils, legumes, beans
- Nuts and seeds
- Protein powder supplements (convenience)
Rehydrate
Staying hydrated is a key part of recovery. After a session, aim to replace the fluids you’ve sweated out by drinking according to your thirst and estimated fluid loss. If you prefer numbers, weighing yourself before and after a workout can help estimate fluid loss—each kilogram lost equals about 1L of fluid. Multiply that by 1.5 to know how much to drink over the next 3–6 hours.
e.g. if you lost 2kg during the session, aim to drink 3L (2 x 1.5) of fluid in the hours following – along with your recovery food.
Alternatively, you can use urine colour as a guide: pale yellow indicates good hydration, while darker shades suggest you need more fluids. This strategy can be preferred if there is any challenging emotions around body weight/shape/size of concern for disordered eating & exercise habits.
Spacing the fluid out well over this time and having it with food, will help optimise how efficiently you can absorb the fluid and restore hydration. Adding electrolytes can also help your body absorb fluid more effectively.
Revitalise
Revitalising is all about the colour! In the hours (and days) after your session, including variety from foods such as fruits, salads and veggies, offers some serious bang for your buck. These little gems will help with recovery, inflammation, health and immune function.
It can be difficult to get these types of foods in after a hard session – and be particularly hard if dealing with a low appetite after a hard event! In this case, it is more about making the later meals and snacks count, where more fruits and veggies can be included in larger amounts to help facilitate the recovery process.
In the immediate recovery, you may be able to sneak in colour through berries, or some greens in a smoothie.
What are the best options to eat after a tough session?
If you can conveniently access them, real foods are ideal recovery options to incorporate into your training day. However, sometimes more convenient food options are needed to ensure that recovery fits into a hectic work-life-family-training schedule!
Here are some of our favourites:
- Eggs & Bacon (or Beans) on Sourdough with a milk-based coffee;
- Fruit Smoothie – based on fruit, Greek Yoghurt and added protein powder if desired;
- Greek Yoghurt (e.g. Chobani) with chopped fruit/berries & muesli clusters or nuts;
- Meat or Egg Salad Roll or Wrap;
- Tin of Tuna or Beans with an Instant Brown Rice Cup + Veggies;
- Oats cooked with milk then topped with nuts & seeds for an added boost
- Bircher Muesli
- Any of your favourite dinner meals that combine a mix of quality protein, along with quality carbs and veggies/salad.
Assess your recovery!
AND…Some other Convenient Options:
- Takeaway Salad & Meat/Egg Roll or Wrap
- A Carbohydrate & Protein containing powder such as Sustagen Sport OR Endura Optimiser – made on milk for an extra boost;
- Whey or WPI Protein made on Milk (rice milk is a great non-dairy option as it has more carbs). If making on water, add in a carbohydrate-based snack with it;
- Greek Yoghurt pouch with fruit or muesli bar
- 250-350mL Energize Up & Go OR Sustagen Sport Tetra
- Protein Bar (containing 15-30g protein) WITH a banana
