It is well known that hydration is crucial to athletic performance as well as safety. In most circumstances, fluid intake is the mode of entry into your body, while breathing, sweat loss and urination make up the majority of fluid loss. Fluid loss...
Your oblique muscles are part of your core, or midsection. The internal obliques lie below the external obliques to the sides of your rectus abdominis. In general, the muscles of your core are resistant to fatigue, so you can train them more than...
If you are an athlete or an experienced exerciser that works out more than once a day, you need more than a healthy, balanced diet to keep you going. Exercise is a form of stress on the body, one that depletes necessary nutrients such as...
Regular milk and chocolate milk contain beneficial carbohydrates and proteins needed for recovery, replenishment and adaptation after exercise. However, chocolate milk has a better combination of carbohydrate and protein and is more suitable for...
If you are fresh from a 10-mile run and your muscles are screaming, you need to cool down, rehydrate and consume something that will help your body recover from your endurance training. You might reach for a sports drink, or try something...
Chocolate milk is a less expensive type of a sport recovery drink and also an effective one. Even Olympians drink chocolate milk in between competitions. Low fat chocolate milk provides what the body needs to recover from physical activities and...
Protein shakes come highly recommended in the fitness industry. Several exercise gurus including Jillian Michaels of The Biggest Loser and Tony Horton, creator of P90X, have their own line or endorse a line of exercise recovery protein drinks....
Caffeine has long been used to enhance athletic performance during exercise or a competition. But caffeine also has side effects -- both positive and negative -- after exercise. Although it can be a performance enhancer, there are risks to...
Milk is widely considered one of the most important drinks to consume during childhood and throughout your life. It is by far the most nutrient-dense natural beverage in existence, and it is versatile in food preparation for an assortment of...
The original Paleo diet is based on the idea that the optimal diet consists of foods that were consumed during the Paleolithic Era, prior to agriculture and animal husbandry. The Paleo diet is a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet. "The Paleo...
An intensive, well rounded diet and exercise plan is the most effective way to lose weight, but many people also like to look for extra ways they can speed up weight loss. Including certain natural drinks in a diet may speed up weight loss by...
Lack of exercise is a health hazard, but too much exercise can be dangerous, too. Exertional rhabdomyolysis, a rare but serious condition that breaks down muscles and damages kidneys, strikes some exercisers who push their limits. Amateurs and...
Chocolate milk is a low-cost and easily available drink. Chocolate milk's balance of carbohydrate and protein fits into exercise programs for strength and endurance training. Many people like the taste of chocolate milk, so it's a plus that recent...
Whether you are trying to bulk up, get stronger or just improve your diet, protein powders are a convenient source of amino acids. With so many products on the market, it can be tough to decide which is right for you. The amino acid profile is...
Whirl a few simple ingredients in a blender to create an ideal post-exercise recovery drink that contains a mixture of carbohydrates and protein depleted muscles crave. For best results, drink your shake immediately after your workout. According...
Moderate- to high-intensity workouts lasting longer than an hour can drain your body of precious water, electrolytes and other nutrients. Sports drinks provide an easily digested form of nutrients for performance and recovery. Prevent the...
Resistance training, running and any other strenuous exercise deplete glycogen in the muscles. Recovery sports drinks are superior to water because the body needs more than just water after exercise to replenish energy stores. During recovery, the...
Nearly 25 percent of Americans use dietary supplements daily, but that number reaches 50 to 100 percent for individuals engaged in physical activity and sports, according to the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. For athletes,...
Anyone who's ever tried a hard workout on an empty stomach--or a stomach full of chocolate chip cookies--knows that when and what you eat affects your workout performance. The Mayo Clinic recommends that, during periods of intense fitness...
Runners' nutrition has historically focused on carbohydrates. Endurance sports deplete glycogen stores, and carbohydrates are the only things that can restore them. A runner's glycogen stores can be the difference between a personal record and a...
P90X is an extreme workout routine that requires hours of investment, but has the potential to pay off with real results. However, it's important to keep in mind that the P90X system can have a significant impact on the muscles, requiring a...
Diet provides the fuel that helps runners achieve their goals. To meet intense training schedules, runners need proper nutrition and calories. A 3,000-calorie diet can meet the needs of long-distance runners training for a half marathon or...
You can't watch a sporting event without seeing ads for sports drinks, such as Gatorade and Powerade, designed to instill in you the belief that to be a true athlete, you must consume their products. And clearly, the ads work--Gatorade sales top...
Exercise recovery supplements are necessary to replenish muscle glycogen stores and to provide the muscles with essential amino acids to help to repair and build muscle tissue immediately following a workout. Although consuming solid food is the...
After an intense workout or exercise, consuming different drinks can have very different effects on your body. For example, drinks such as protein shakes help to rebuild tissue destroyed during exercise and provides help in building muscle mass...
A vigorous workout can diminish glycogen reserves and break down protein in your muscles. It also tends to lower your insulin levels. Choosing the right foods to replenish your body after exercise promotes protein production and restores glycogen...
A post-workout recovery drink needs to replenish, re-energize and refuel, and you have several options from which to choose. You can go for premixed recovery drinks sold right off the shelf or concoct your own creation. Both are effective as long...
Getting protein from protein drinks can help support muscle growth and exercise recovery notes a review in the journal "Nutrition and Metabolism." Protein drinks found in the refrigerated case at health food stores or a gym can cost $2 or more per...
According to the Council for Responsible Nutrition, dietary supplement manufacturers comprise a nearly $27 billion industry, which is why such a variety of sports nutrition products is available. While these supplements may help you reach your...
