Recovery

Your muscles will grow stronger faster if you…

• Eat within 30 minutes of finishing a tough workout. 
• Eat high-glycemic carbs + protein, in a ratio of 4:1.
• Eat about 25g protein every 3-5 hours throughout the day
• Avoid alcohol for 24 hours.
• Rest like you mean it and get 7+ hours sleep.
• Avoid pain-relievers like aspirin or ibuprofen

Performance

You’ll be stronger and faster longer if you…

• Carbo-load for endurance events.
• Stay hydrated with enough salt.
• Caffeinate wisely.
• Use a sports drink if your workout is 90+ minutes (use one with protein if you are running or going for long endurance.)
• Preserve glycogen with a slower start.
• Preserve glycogen by warming up in cooler temperatures.

General Health for Athletes

Tips to protect your active body…

• Take a calcium/vitamin D supplement to preserve bone density (calcium is lost in sweat.)
• Eat yogurt (it counteracts the suppression of your immune system by heavy workouts.)
• Consume extra fruits,  veggies and green tea for the antioxidants (to combat aging and damage from free radicals.)
• Safe and sane supplements:  Fish oil, calcium, vitamin D, turmeric, GWT, multivitamin

A few nifty tricks

• Drink green tea before, during or right after a workout to help access fat and get a longer “afterburn” for your metabolism
• Avoid all caffeine for 3 days before competition.  This will re-sensitize you to it’s effects for the best ergogenic boost.
• Time your caffeine right:  it has it’s strongest effect 45 minutes after consumption.
• Prepare your after-workout snack ahead of time because the sooner you eat, the faster your muscles recover.
• Be obsessive about mirroring your calorie input and output…especially when it comes to carbs.
• Get away with eating your favorite junky snack by timing it right.  Eat it during or right after a hard workout.  Try to stick with low-fat junk if possible.
• Remember the 3-bite rule:  90% of the flavor is in the first 3 bites.  That goes for cheesecake AND Brussels sprouts.