Post Workout Nutrition

A lot of muscle fuel is used up during CrossFit workouts and it must be replenished to come back strong. There’s definitely a lot of science involved in recovery nutrition but I’m going to give you a few simple tips and a delicious Tomato Basil Chicken Fried Rice recipe to get you going!

The 3 Rule of 3’s:

* Follow the 3 R’s for Recovery - Rehydrate, Refuel, Rebuild

* Include the 3 Macronutrients - Carbs, Protein and a little Fat

* Consume Carbs and Protein in about a 3:1 ratio

* Rehydrate with water. The exact amount depends on how much fluid was lost during your workout and this can be calculated but to keep it simple, just sip, sip, sip water over the next few hours. If sweat losses were small, water will do but if sweat losses were great, water with a slightly salty snack (cheese, crackers and fruit) or a little salt with your recovery meal will do.

* Refuel with carbs to replenish glycogen. Muscles replenish glycogen most quickly within the first 2 hours after of exercise. A recovery snack will be essential if you train or are competing a few times a day, ideally 0.5-0.7 grams carbs/lb body weight in a 3:1 carb to protein ratio. For the rest of us, a recovery snack followed up with a balanced recovery meal within 4 hours is adequate.

* Rebuild with high quality protein to repair and build new muscle tissue. Protein also stimulates insulin, which helps to replenish glycogen stores. Generally, for most adults, an intake between 20-40 grams, depending on body size and workout intensity, will be adequate within a few hours after most workouts (0.14-0.23 g protein/lb body weight).

Here's a delicious, balanced and very seasonal Post Workout Recovery Meal to enjoy while tomatoes are so abundant and in-season!

Tomato Basil Chicken Fried Rice - Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup Brown Rice

3 cups Water

1 tbsp Olive Oil, divided

227 g Chicken Breast

4 Eggs, whisked

5 cups fresh Tomatoes, chopped

2 stalks Green Onion, sliced

4 cups Spinach

3 Tbsp Tamari or Soy Sauce

1 cup fresh Basil, chopped

1/2 tsp Black pepper

Directions:

1. Add the rice and water to a pot. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer on low for 35-40 minutes.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat with 1/3 of the oil. Cook the chicken then transfer it to a bowl.

3. Add another 1/3 of the oil to the skillet over medium heat and scramble the eggs. Transfer the scrambled eggs to the bowl with the chicken.

4. Heat the remaining oil in the skillet and saute the tomatoes for 4-5 minutes. Add the green onions and spinach and stir until the spinach is wilted. Add the tamari, basil, pepper, rice, eggs and chicken and stir to combine evenly. Enjoy!

* Serve with hot sauce to spice it up!

* Speedier Recipe Tips - Cook the rice ahead of time or use white rice. Cook the chicken ahead of time or buy pre-cooked chicken.

* Vegetarian Recipe - Replace the chicken with 4 more eggs, white beans or crumbled tofu.