Post-Workout Recovery Fruit Smoothie

Mike is at the gym right now doing his Saturday morning workout while McKinley and I are home recovering from a busy week. He's a bit of a weekend warrior when it comes to the gym, so I have a feeling this is going to be a long one and he loves nothing more than coming home from his workout to a good breakfast. So this morning McKinley helped me get one together!

Packed with fruit, calcium, vitamin E, and those good Omega 3's, this smoothie is sure to power the rest of Mike's day with our busy little teether.

1 Cup Orange Juice (we use Simply Orange with Calcium)

1 Cup Skim Milk

1 cup Dole Frozen Fruit Mix with Strawberries, Peaches and Bananas

2 tsp Ground Flax Seed

2 tsp Toasted Wheat Germ

What does each one of these components do for the body post-workout? 

Orange Juice: 100% natural Orange Juice contains more potassium (electrolytes) and carbohydrates than manufactured sports drinks; not to mention it helps re-hydrate.

Milk: stronglifts.com states that combination of carbohydrates, electrolytes and calcium in milk makes for the perfect lean body mass gain and recovery. Dairy calcium also increases fat loss and decreases hunger.

Fruit: MuscleandFitness.com states that fruit provides valuable phytochemicals that benefit health. Bananas in particular help replace those "good" carbohydrates, which restores your body's level of glycogen which leads to muscle repair.

Flax: Typically a no-no for  PRE workouts, can be a great post-workout recovery aid. The Omega-3s in Flax are believed to improve an athlete's response time due to an improved condition of the brain and central nervous system. The anti-inflamatory effects are also a great benefit as they help speed up muscle repair and recovery.

Wheat Germ: That Vitamin E is a leader in muscle repair! 

The combination makes for a great creamy, fruity nutrition packed post-workout recovery smoothie!

Have a happy Super Bowl weekend everybody! We will be making our favorite 7-layer dip on Sunday.  Enjoy the food you make and do your best to make good healthy choices.