Rider

PreparingIthe plainsREFUELING FOR RECOVERYWhen it comes to refueling afterexercise; there are few foodsthat compare to the nutritionalpowerhouse of milk. Emerging research in adultathletes has demonstrated that one serving of cow’smilk post-exercise may help reduce muscle damageand improve muscle recovery – which in turn, mayhelp the body perform better during its next workout.So what happens to the body during exercise and whyis recovery nutrition so important?• When you exercise, you lose fluid in the form ofsweat. The harder you exercise, the more fluidis lost. In addition to fluid, electrolytes, suchas sodium and potassium, are depleted as wesweat.• During exercise, your body relies on bloodglucose and stored muscle glucose (glycogen)as fuel – or energy. This stored muscle glucoseis often depleted after exercise and needs to bereplaced, in the form of dietary carbohydrates.• Lastly, during activity, muscle is broken down.While this is a natural result of strenuousactivity, future athletic performance in practicesand games is largely impacted by how well ourmuscles rebuild and resynthesize new musclefibers after a workout. Protein aids in thisrecovery effort.Milk, both white and chocolate, provides key nutrientsneeded after exercise.• Milk is 90% water and a great tasting choiceafter practices and games. Milk’s fluids andelectrolytes, including calcium, potassium andmagnesium, rehydrate the body and replenishwhat is lost in sweat.• Carbohydrates in milk refuel muscles andreplenish glycogen (energy) stores.• High quality protein aids in muscle recoveryand repair.14• Calcium, vitamin D and phosphorus build andmaintain strong bones.• Milk provides potassium to help ward offmuscle cramping.• B vitamins in milk help convert food to energy.For the past three years, Pedal The Plains riders havebeen refueling with Colorado chocolate milk providedfor free by the dairy farm families of Western DairyAssociation. Chocolate milk provides what manyconsider the “golden ratio” of carbohydrates to protein(3 to 4 grams of carbohydrate for every 1 gram ofprotein) necessary for optimal recovery.ourpartnersonJrouteImprove your post-exercise regimen by refuelingwith milk within 30 minutes after a workout. Visitwesterndairyassociation.org to read more about milkas an exercise recovery beverage and learn how toeat for peak athletic performance.in Jtowns