By Vern LaMere, M.S. — Program Coordinator for the Human Performance Lab at NIFS.

Post-Exercise Nutrition. This is the first line of defense when it comes to recovery. According to Heather Hedrick, M.S., R.D., Sports Nutritionist at NIFS, there are several nutritional factors related to optimal recovery:

Drink plenty of fluids.

Consume at least two cups of fluid for every pound of body weight lost during exercise. In order to know how much water weight you lose, weigh yourself, without any clothes, on the same scale, before and after various activities. Any weight loss during a training session is strictly water weight and must be replaced. Fluids can be restored through watery foods such as soups, fruit or vegetables, water or 100% juice. Juices are an ideal recovery beverage because they supply fluids, carbohydrates and potassium, an electrolyte lost in sweat.

Eat high-carbohydrate foods.

During exercise, especially intense workouts or races, our bodies become depleted of our carbohydrate energy stores, called glycogen. During the two hours immediately after exercise, our muscles are most receptive to taking in carbohydrate and storing it for our next workout. Consuming a snack containing at least 200 – 300 calories, mainly from carbohydrate, within minutes of finishing a workout can dramatically accelerate the recovery process. Aim to consume at least 0.5 – 1 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight within the first two hours after exercise and again in the next two hours. For a 150-pound male, 75 grams of carbohydrate would be required within the first two hours, preferably as close to the end of the workout as possible, which can be consumed in one cup of orange juice and a small bagel.

Replace electrolytes and combat oxidative stress.

Small amounts of electrolytes, mainly sodium and potassium, are lost in sweat. For most active individuals, sodium and potassium can easily be replaced by consuming a well-balanced diet. Some research has found that aerobic exercise causes oxidative stress in the body that can be reduced by consuming antioxidant nutrients such as vitamin C and E, beta carotene and selenium. Antioxidants are found in foods such as fruits, vegetables, wheat germ, nuts and seeds. Incorporate plenty of these foods into your recovery meal.

Rebuild damaged muscle protein.

Amino acids are needed to help stimulate protein synthesis needed to repair tissues. Protein can be found in meats, dairy products, legumes, nuts, seeds, soy and whole grains.

Start drinking fluids and consume a small snack immediately following exercise.

Then aim to eat a complete meal, including three different food groups, within two hours after exercise in order to replace fluids, carbohydrates, electrolytes, antioxidants and protein to maximize recovery.

Try cold treatments.

Ice baths are a common and welcomed recovery treatment for athletes at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado. While the polar-bear types among you may not hesitate to take the plunge with this form of recovery treatment, there are less-frigid approaches that will do the trick. Simply cooling down the muscles with a bag of ice or cold water for 10 – 15 minutes immediately following exercise will do. While rehydrating after a race or workout, pour some of the water over your legs and use the ice to cool them even further and then hit the shower...a cold one!

Try hot/cold treatments.

For the non-polar bears among us, this method uses alternating hot and cold exposures to expand and contract your blood vessels, ridding your muscles of unwanted waste products. Simply alternate five minutes of cold and hot “soaks” or showers to stimulate this process.

Have a massage.

While a certain degree of mystery still surrounds the restorative properties of massage, proponents claim that it can enhance healing by enhancing blood flow (venous return) and break up scar tissue.

Stretch.

We have all experienced the stiffness that results from hard training sessions or following a race. Stretching alone does not possess the restorative properties of the treatments cited above, but will help keep your muscles flexible and limber for training that will follow.

Cross-Ttrain.

Don't wait until you are completely free of soreness to begin exercising. Low-impact exercise such as swimming, stair climbing or an elliptical exercise machine will promote blood flow and speed the healing process. Continue cold treatments even after these workouts. Avoid the temptation to go on a “recovery” run immediately after a long hard effort, or even after a short hard workout that has left your legs sore the next day or two. Depending on your degree of soreness, alternating days of running with low-impact cross-training will speed up the healing process.

Take time off.

If mentally and physically drained after a long race or after weeks of hard training, complete rest for a day to several days may be just what the doctor ordered! This is especially true if experiencing signs of overtraining, such as persistent muscle soreness and fatigue, inability to sleep, irritability, lack of motivation and decreases in performance. Prolonging this overtrained state will only prolong the recovery process and could lead to chronic injuries. Wait until you are physically and mentally ready to start serious training again, but start slow. Before you know it, the legs and mind will be revived and ready to train for your next big race!

For additional information please contact NIFS at 317.274.3432 or visit our Web site at www.nifs.org.