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Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Chocolate milk: drink up boys!

You just had a killer work out. You have been going practically non stop pumping iron, swimming, cycling or running, you are sweat drenched. Workout isn't over though, now what do you give your body? There are a few options: water, Gatorade, or some pricey after workout drink.  There is another option, chocolate milk.


Why chocolate milk? There was a neat little study in International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. This study took 9 cyclists and had them push it to their limits, then gave them different drinks (water, sports drinks, chocolate milk) and then a few hours later they biked again. The cyclists who had some chocolate milk had the best recovery rate. Basically water is great, anyone who knows me knows that I love water and enjoy it very much. Water only replenishes water lost though, Gatorade is similar, but has some salt in it. Chocolate milk seems to be a good choice because it has good amounts of proteins for muscle building, carbs for energy, and some fat for energy. So there you have it, this can even be your "cheat" snack for today if you want.

Word of warning: drink only after serious workout and your body is really in need of these things. If you are trying to lose weight and drink this tasty treat after every walk it will just be counter productive. Likewise for a light game or sport, you should be able to tell when you are just winded versus when your body is crying out for some nutrients. Solution: work out and push yourself harder and enjoy, also consider this as a "sometimes" post workout solution depending on your goals.

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