Chocolate milk aids recovery after long workout
in
Warwick
During the past four years, Marathon Makeover has trained more than 900 people. The Marathon Makeover group will run a full marathon of 26.2 miles on Oct. 17 in Ridgeland.
When training for longer endurance events, nutrition becomes an important part of a successful race. The muscles store fuel in the form of glycogen, which breaks down into glucose or simple sugar with exercise. The muscles burn this glucose to produce energy. Longer events like the half marathon, which can run two hours or more, deplete the muscle stores of glycogen.
Research shows that ingesting carbohydrate and protein in the proper ratio within 30 minutes to an hour after exercise will speed the replacement of glycogen in the muscles, and recovery is more complete. When athletes wait longer than two hours after exercise to take in carbohydrates, the muscles make only half as much new glycogen. Several specialized beverages and gels have been developed for endurance athletes, but do you need to buy pricey carbohydrate replacement beverages? The answer might surprise you.
One of the best recovery aids is chocolate milk. Flavored low-fat or skim milk provides the proper ratio of carbohydrate to protein as well as potassium and other essential nutrients such as calcium, vitamins D and A. To get the recommended amount of carbohydrate and protein, the average man weighing 155 pounds should drink 17 to 27 ounces of chocolate milk while the average 132-pound woman should drink 14 to 23 ounces immediately after a long workout.
Athletes should continue to re-hydrate with water and sports drinks during the next few hours. The heat and humidity increase fluid needs and dehydration can significantly reduce performance.
