Post WOD Nutrition
By: Coach Kate

Okay… for those of you who are all-in on the nutrition challenge, you may recall Mel stating immediate post-workout recovery didn’t count towards your blocks for the day. WHAT?! FREE BLOCKS?! But the real question is WHY did Mel so generously hand out those free blocks? And the answer is because post-WOD nutrition is SO important that it shouldn’t be considered part of your daily intake. Basically, it’s in a league of its own and here is why.

What happens physiologically to our bodies when we WOD?

When we WOD, we’ve all experienced an increased heart rate, muscle fatigue and shortness of breath — feelings that we’ve all come to know and love. But under the surface we are breaking down muscle tissue and fiber, while also burning stored carbohydrates in the form of glycogen. Think about that glycogen storage as a bank account. Before a WOD, that glycogen account is chock full. During a WOD, it’s a full blown shopping spree and you are withdrawing from that glycogen account with every Olympic lift, every box jump and every pull-up. But now the account is overdrawn and we need to replenish it…

So, how can we recover from a full-blown WOD suckfest?

It’s actually fairly straight forward: We want a fast-absorbing protein and an easily-digestible carbohydrate  and we want them within 30-45 minutes of completing our workout. This is when your body is anxiously looking to replenish nutrients and will most quickly break down the components of the carb and protein, using them to rebuild muscle (protein) and generate new glycogen stores (carbohydrate).

Protein

The easiest and most popular protein source is a whey protein shake. When mixed with water, this can be easily and quickly digested by the body to begin the muscle repairing process. There are a multitude of protein supplements on the market so look for one with the most natural ingredients and is low in sugar and fat. We’ve also found that some athlete’s don’t digest whey so easily, so you can experiment with egg protein and beef collagen protein too. There are a lot of good protein brands out there, but the Daybreak coaches use Progenex. Mel and I are  Mocha fans and Rap likes Vanilla.

Carbohydrate

Fruit, coconut water or sweet potatoes are your best option post-WOD. Apples, berries and bananas are easy to toss into your gym bag to have with your shake. Or, if you tend to lose your appetite after a vicious workout, try mixing your protein shake with coconut water. My personal favorite is cutting sweet potatoes into 1” cubes and roasting at 400⁰ on an oiled cookie sheet for about 20 minutes. You can make one big batch for the week and pack a small Tupperware for each day with about 1 cup of sweet potatoes… it’s basically heaven after a WOD. All of these carbohydrates have a high glycemic index and therefore will be absorbed right into the bloodstream.

Welcome to pay-day! You will immediately start to replenish that depleted glycogen bank account. Cha-ching!

By paying attention to what we put into our bodies post-WOD, we can make sure we’re repairing muscles and replenishing  glycogen stores. Try it out for a few days and see for yourself. Don’t hesitate to ask Mel, Rap or me any questions you have about post-WOD nutrition. We are all happy to help in your relentless pursuit of better!