Training & Nutrition - What is a good recovery drink?

I like Chocolate Ensure (not hi protein). It's got the 'magic ratio' 42 carbs, 9 protein or something like that. I find if I drink one of those, I don't get the urge to binge eat a couple of hours after a hard ride and I feel fine the next day.

Doing a quick calculation of my recovery drink (basically just protein powder and fruit)... I may be under the oft-quoted 4:1 ratio. What happens at 3:1 or even 2:1 (e.g. too much protein)?

Any help?

How hard of a workout do you perform before you guys take the Endurox? Is there a "cutoff"?

Unless my recovery ride was really really short and easy I take it after almost every ride. After a very hard ride I take 3 scoops.

How hard of a workout do you perform before you guys take the Endurox? Is there a "cutoff"?

Pretty much every ride for me, unless it's a recovery ride, in which case I'm not burning any calories. My shortest training rides are generall in the two hour 25 mile range, though we sometimes end up shorter because of the weather during the winter.

That's after Accelerade on the ride.

How hard of a workout do you perform before you guys take the Endurox? Is there a "cutoff"?
Only recovery rides, or endurance rides where solid food isn't a problem. My typical indoor weekday ride is 2-2.5 hours. So since there is roughly 1400-1600 calories to replace, the recovery drink is the first important step.

Just to mix it up though, I buy chocolate milk by the jug, and use it as a recovery drink too. Tasty stuff.

I look for cheap stuff. If I am dehtdrated cheap orange drinks like thinned out Koolade are good. If I am feeling flush with cash a quart of chocolate milk helps my recovery. If you are well off try Spiz, short for a long product name I can't spell well. It does well during and after rides like the Race across AMerica.

Posted by Richard Cranium --

The value of any fluid or fuel is in it's ability to restore the deficits created during activity. There's no such thing as a good or bad recovery drink. Some drinks are better than others in restoring a particular nutrient. Typically, water "wins" as the best all purpose recovery drink.

My previous post continues to be the only "perfectly accurate" post. All other products, use water and various mixes of nutrients to restore pre-exercise conditions in a given athlete.

Again, there is no single pre-formulated product that achieves nutrient restoration among different athletes equally.

It maybe just a semantical argument, but stupid comments and conclusions need to be challenged.

There is no such thing as "perfect" nutrition, anymore than there are perfect athletes. As long as people insist on over-simplifying and ignoring the unique complexities associated with making "scientific" claims Richard Cranium will be there........ to tell them to look up to Uranus.

Posted by Richard Cranium --


My previous post continues to be the only "perfectly accurate" post. All other products, use water and various mixes of nutrients to restore pre-exercise conditions in a given athlete.

Again, there is no single pre-formulated product that achieves nutrient restoration among different athletes equally.

It maybe just a semantical argument, but stupid comments and conclusions need to be challenged.

There is no such thing as "perfect" nutrition, anymore than there are perfect athletes. As long as people insist on over-simplifying and ignoring the unique complexities associated with making "scientific" claims Richard Cranium will be there........ to tell them to look up to Uranus.
Thanks for the intervention :rolleyes:

What's the downside of using water for hydration, and using foods for nutritional value?

Hammer's Recoverite. IMO it's the best.

As Richard Cranium, it's my sworn duty to be a big dirty stick whenever possible. In the case of this thread, I'm trying to add an additional measure of intelligence to the discussion.

If any one person wants to "pick" their best recovery drink - they need to include their particular body mass, age, gender. In addition, they should be prepared to specify the period of exercise, and exercise intensity they experienced directly before using there so-called "best mix"...

What happens when you supply the "perfect" recovery drink to someone who has lost 6% of their body weight through exercise? Yeah, right, never mind.

What happens when you supply the "perfect" recovery drink to someone who has lost 6% of their body weight through exercise? Yeah, right, never mind.

Why does this thread get you so riled? It is a very simple, and extremely legitimate question... why are you making the leap from "what's a good recovery drink" to thinking everyone is claiming the supreme and universal perfection? Of all the threads to get bent out of shape on... sheesh.

Good god. I tried Endurox R4 last night. 12oz water to 2 scoops. That was terrible. I had to refill the cup to dilute that stuff like 3 times.

Anyone tried e-Fuel or e-Gel by CrankSports (http://www.cranksports.com/)?


Their marketing hype is good; it got my attention! Natural is a good way to go if you have time. Years ago I used to mix a fruit slushy (ice and various fruits in a blender) and add a handful of wheat bran. I now use Gatorade and Accelerade, but intend to try others.

Why does this thread get you so riled? It is a very simple, and extremely legitimate question... why are you making the leap from "what's a good recovery drink" to thinking everyone is claiming the supreme and universal perfection? Of all the threads to get bent out of shape on... sheesh.

+1

What's the downside of using water for hydration, and using foods for nutritional value?

It's mostly about specificity. When you are exercising, and when you are in recovery, there is a certain blend of nutrients that is what your body needs at that point. The goal of using specialized products is to get closer to what is optimal. For example, hydration drinks are better than plain water for hydration because they empty out of the stomach faster than plain water (with plain water, it's easy to get that "sloshy" feeling). Recovery drinks have a good mix of protein and carbs, and because they're in liquid form, they are absorbed faster.

There's also the fact that they're simpler. It's a lot easier to just mix up a bottle of hydration or recovery drink than to figure out what mix of food and water to bring.

Disadvantages?

1) Cost. None of the mixes are cheap.

2) Flavor. Some flavors just don't sit well with people.

3) Food fatigue. If you drink the same thing for hours on a long ride, you will eventually want to never drink that again. This happens to me at about the 4-5 hour mark.

4) Harder to balance for weather. If it's hot, I carry a separate bottle of water to augment.

I used to eat just solid food and water, but I do much better on Accelerade (blue berry kind), along with a few newtons and the occaisional bagel.

On the other hand, many Randonee riders ride really long distances - say 600 or 1200km - on regular food.

I've posted this several times, nobody seems to rant on about this crap.......


http://www.infinitnutrition.us/

FWIW, some of our club members swear by this stuff:
http://www.firstendurance.com/ultragen.html

I got some and will be trying it when I start some serious intensity work. Pretty pricey.

Using a 53cc scoop out of some long-forgotten nutritional watzis, put 1 sc. of maltodextrin, 1 sc. of unrefined sugar, 2 sc. of whey protein, and 5g. of creatine in a bottle with 20 oz. water, shake up, refrigerate, then put in a cooler in the car. Whack that stuff down, and you're ready for your real recovery beverage, a schooner or two of porter. The pain in your legs will become only a pleasant memory. Cranium, this applies only to healthy, strong minded, sensual riders, either in inappropriate relationships or not, who have ridden well on that day, i.e. their legs hurt like hell.

Any help?
I asked a similar question some time ago and the answer is.....it depends. surprised right?:rolleyes:

Like doc dick said, weight, workout, and ultimately need. I am thin, and so I use a 4:1 with greater carb per kg of body wieght. I have also heard that the body has a difficult time abosorbing too much protein, and as a result some gastric problems may arise, however, this depends upon the quantity and not the ratio. Therefore, I don't go any greater right now because I am already taking in 100g of carbs. For the last three months that ratio has helped my fittness and I am not dropping wieght any more and also seem to be leveling off to a decent weight & fittness form. Although I imagine once the weather clears up in the spring I will need to readjust, perhaps because of greater intnesity a 3:1.

So, take it all with a grain of salt...

Recoverite.

my sietitian was plugging choc milk again yesterday

Hi guys,
here's a thought for ya... You can have different needs at different times.
I will often have a fruit shake after a brutal ride for the Vit C in it. My shakes
are.. about a cup of unsweetened soy milk, a scoop of milk protein (cheap)
a banana, and whatever fresh or frozen fruit I have around. I almost always keep
a bag of frozen blueberies handy. Lots 'o antioxidants and tasty.

If I'm feeling lazy I'll just grab a protein bar.

I am trying to create a really good recovery drink based on this stuff...
http://proteinfactory.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=22_28&products_id=823

My first try didn't have enough protein, and after I added some spirutein
I had a couple pounds!

Next time I will use about 10% peptopro, 1% glutamine peptides, 10% IPI protein, not sure yet about the ideal choice for sugars (if there is one).

If I am at home, I never use the stuff. I'll make a shake, or have a tuna sandwich. But it is handy when you are elsewhere.

Endurox and a bowl of cereal...drink the milk

whoa! this has gone far!