Nutrition for Exercise Recovery

Within 30 minutes of completing an extended or intense exercise session, consume at least 50 grams of CHO (roughly 200 kcals). Also, continue to snack on high-CHO foods for up to six hours. This will help restore your muscle glycogen for the next exercise session. Some foods and servings sizes that contain roughly 50 grams of CHO are:

♦ Bagel with jam

♦ Baked potato with skin

♦ Cooked sweet corn, 1.5 cups

♦ Cornflakes, 2.5 cups

♦ Watermelon, 4.5 cups

♦ Raisins, 0.4 cup

♦ Shredded wheat cereal, 1.4 cups

♦ Baked Beans, 1 cup

♦ Bananas (2)

♦ Cooked oatmeal, 2 cups

♦ Cooked Rice, 1 cup

♦ Orange juice, 2 cups

For more information on the CHO content of foods, check food labels (Figure 3-2), check the USDA website at http://www.usda.gov, or ask a dietitian.