Nutrition & Hydration BASICS: Post-Run (Part III)
Missed Part I or Part II?
Read Nutrition & Hydrations BASICS Pre-Run and During Your Run
You finish your long run and are totally exhausted. You chug half a gatorade and take a quick shower. With a full workweek and training schedule ahead, you pass out on the couch for a much needed nap....
What is wrong with this scenario?
As much as your body wants to rest, it absolutely needs food. And SOON! In fact, post-run recovery becomes increasingly important if your training schedule includes consecutive days of higher mileage or moderate-to-high intensity workouts.
Your Workout is Over, but the Clock is Still Ticking
In the 24-48 hours after a hard workout or run, our bodies are extra sensitive and welcoming to amino acids (the molecules that make up protein). But this sensitivity fades over time! So the sooner you can feed your body some protein after a workout, the better it can absorb that protein and use it. Consuming protein ASAP after your hard workouts actually increases muscle protein synthesis (which is a fancy way of saying rebuilding and repairing of muscles).
PROTEIN SHAKE
make sure to check labels! This one has a lot of protein but contains minimal Carbs.
In the same way, you want to replenish your body’s stores of glycogen, so after your workout it’s important to eat some carbs pronto to get that process going. This jump-start to recovery is crucial if you want to get back into quality training the next day. The post-run snack does not replace a complete and balanced meal when you get home, but it bridges the gap between end of workout and whenever you can sit down to a proper meal.
If you have very easy training days or rest days/days off interspersed with harder training days, the recovery jump-start becomes less crucial. Your body will be able to recover at a slower rate over a couple days provided you are eating enough food in complete and balanced meals.
What to Eat
The options of special recovery products are endless, including powders, shakes, and bars. These products are super handy to have on hand and many conveniently contain both carbs and protein. (Check the label!) However, special packaged recovery foods and are really not necessary - all the nutrients needed for complete recovery can be attained with thoughtful selection of regular food. A very accessible and no-nonsense recovery drink is milk because it contains a good balance of macronutrients. Please note that all milks are not created equal!
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE!
Which of the following milks below would be an appropriate post-run snack?
ANSWER:
All of them. They all contain calories, so they are all better than no snack. Our bodies will use whatever is available to start the recovery process so make sure something is available!
As mentioned above, an “ideal” post-workout snack does include protein and carbohydrate, and clearly some milk candidates in the table above are more appropriate than others. The chocolate milk has the highest protein, carbohydrate and overall caloric content of all the options so that would be my first choice. The almond milk has hardly any macronutrients at all and is very low in calories so that would be my last choice. But it’s still better than nothing. It is most important that you just eat something, anything, as soon as possible.
Maybe milk is very unappealing to you, or simply not a feasible option. Sometimes when you’re rushing out of the house for a workout, the fridge and cupboard seem like a barren desert. In these moments remind yourself that something is better than nothing. Although a piece of fruit doesn’t contain protein it is better than no snack. A boiled egg or a chunk of cheese aren’t great sources of carbohydrate, but that’s ok. Any option that contains calories, however random, is better than nothing.
Re-Hydrating
Post-run or workout, be intentional about re-hydrating by drinking water along with your post-run snack and throughout the day. As mentioned in Part II there is a big range in the sodium needs amongst individual runners, so pay attention to your salt cravings especially after a long run on a hot and humid day. Pay attention to how often you need to empty your bladder. Being aware and conscious of these little details can go a long way in discovering what works best for you. Prolonged dehydration will delay your recovery even if you’ve ticked all the boxes in the food department, so make hydration a priority.
We runners have goals. Even if they aren’t specific, we all appreciate seeing the pace drop and the miles add up. If we truly want to run faster and further, it’s worth the effort to be intentional about our food and beverage intake. Who knows? Your body might say thank you with a new PR.
To dial in on your individual needs, I highly recommend consulting with a registered dietitian, sports nutritionist or qualified health professional.
Sources used in Milk comparison table
https://www.healthyeating.org/Milk-Dairy/Nutrients-in-Milk-Cheese-Yogurt/Nutrients-in-Milk
http://blogs.oregonstate.edu/moore/milk-and-milk-alternatives-how-do-they-compare/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/oat-milk#nutrition