workout recovery tips

The Nutrients You Need After a Workout

This post is sponsored by Sunkist, but all thoughts and opinions are my own. By Keri Glassman, MS, RD Ask Keri: What’s Your Favorite Post-Workout Meal? Keri Says: Just the other day, I had so much fun in the kitchen with my good friend Adam Rosante whipping up some nourishing new recipes. And one of them? A post-workout smoothie! It was a great excuse to create something with a friend, and to enjoy real, whole foods, while getting the chance to catch up with one another. Both recipes are great for refueling post-workout, depending on what time of day your workout falls. For most of us, everyday – post-workout should be your breakfast or lunch, afternoon snack, or dinner, and provide the protein, healthy fats, and antioxidants needed for muscle growth, repair, and satiety. Both of these recipes feature citrus, which most of us know is a great part of a healthy diet. But, in case you don’t realize just how good, I’m going to fill you in. Citrus is loaded with one of my fave antioxidants: vitamin C. This little molecule has some very impressive power. It supports the production of collagen, which gives our skin elasticity, and is super important in the summer months to protect our cells against free radical damage. Free radicals are those bad guy molecules that disrupt normal cell functioning. Antioxidants like vitamin C are the first line of defense against them. Vitamin C is important to incorporate into your post-workout snack or meal. It will help reduce the inflammation caused by an intense workout. RELATED: Inflammation, Explained. What It Is And How It Affects Your Health Citrus is also famous for its immune benefits. Studies have shown that vitamin C is linked to a reduced rate of severity and length of the common cold. And, Sunkist citrus is packed with fiber, which we know is important for gut health and heart health. For my post-workout nourishment of choice, get started with the two recipes below (depending on what time of day you get your sweat in). Then, keep the juicy Sunkist citrus flowing at any meal. Orange Creamsicle Post-Workout Smoothie Ideal day? An energizing group workout followed by a batch of this super-refreshing, post-workout smoothie to keep the fun going. It’s simple to make, packed with protein and healthy fats, and contains what your body craves after a workout. This combo is exactly the snack or meal you want in order to replenish glycogen stores and maximize all that effort you put into your workout. Zucchini Noodles with Creamy Lemon Herb Sauce This recipe is for those days when you need something a little bit comforting, yet light. In-season summer squash, fresh herbs and bright citrus come together to create a quick and easy meal that’s ready to be enjoyed in 10 minutes. Pair with easy seared salmon, chickpeas, or another protein to round it out. If you’re getting your exercise in after work, this is a great option as a post-workout dinner to make with your family or friends. There’s really nothing better than getting in the kitchen with the ones you love (and fresh ingredients!) to make something easy, healthy and delicious. Good food, good conversation, and authentic connection is what it’s all about, and these recipes will inspire exactly that, while supporting your physical health. So grab some fresh citrus, #ShareWhatsReal with friends in your life, and get cooking! For more delicious recipes, visit Sunkist.com/recipes.

Are Your Workouts Too Intense?

The vast majority of Americans don’t exercise nearly enough. But those who get bitten by the fitness bug sometimes take things to the extreme right off the bat—and yes, there is such a thing as workouts that are too hard. Especially in cities like New York and Los Angeles, where high-intensity, push-yourself-to-the-max workout classes have taken off over the past 10 years and people run from stressful meetings to stressful training and barely leave time for sleep. “Overtraining is a specific term and type of fatigue,” explains Albert Matheny, an incredibly smart, credentialed trainer who co-owns Soho Strength Lab in New York City. Matheny says most people, aside from some fitness instructors and serious fanatics, don’t “overtrain,” but many are doing the wrong thing the wrong way every day at the gym. “People are just doing too much zero-to-sixty type of exercise,” he says. “It is not an intelligent way to work out if you sit all day then try to go max effort in a 45- to 60-minute class.” The Intensity Issue The biggest culprit? “HIIT is the most common cause and doing it too often,” he says. While the exercise method is incredibly effective and efficient, it is not meant to be done every single day for long periods of time. It should also include proper warm-ups and cool-downs and be paired with adequate recovery and restorative exercises like yoga. RELATED: A Master SoulCycle Instructor’s Guide to Workout Recovery “it is never good to go at 100 percent [effort] every day,” Matheny explains. “One to two times a month is okay, but every day exercise should not really exceed 90 percent effort.” How to Tell if Your Workouts Are Too Hard The signs of pushing your body too much are different for everyone, but Matheny says some hallmarks ones to look for are a lack of improvement or decline in performance, growing apathy toward workouts, and having an elevated heart rate when waking. Doing HIIT constantly or going to max-effort spin classes multiple times a day could also mess with your metabolism by spiking your cortisol levels, especially if you’re not recovering and re-fueling properly. “If you don’t eat properly and vary your workout modality and intensity, then you will not recover muscularly or hormonally,” he says. “If you do exercise correctly, it is the BEST thing for metabolism.” RELATED: 5 Surprising Factors That Affect Metabolism What to Do So how do you push yourself hard enough without going overboard? Matheny says the right intensity level is different for everyone based on your training history and the type of workouts you’re doing. If you can work with a trainer to get it right, definitely start there. If not, make sure you’re incorporating plenty of strength training, not just non-stop cardio. And “not doing HIIT every day is my best recommendation,” he says. “ You should be pushing to 100 percent in workouts no more than once or twice a month.” Your max heart rate should be between 60 and 85 percent in regular workouts, and the bulk should be below 80 percent. “Overtraining also has a HUGE recovery component. If you are not fueling after your workout, sleeping, or doing things to aid recovery then it is much easier to get overtrained.” In other words, don’t run in late after the warm-up, bolt before the cool down, skip eating in favor of happy hour drinks and then get four hours of sleep. You’d never, right?? (Featured Photo: Shutterstock)