Shelf stable chocolate milk
https://www.amazon.com/Horizon-Organic-Chocolate-8-Ounce-Aseptic/dp/B000LKZ3GA
1 Like
Since I have protein powder and sports drink powder handy, I went ahead and did the math to figure out what I’d need to get a 4:1 ratio with “about” 10g of protein. I was really happy with how inexpensive Mike’s Mix is, but whey + sports powder is right about half the price - and includes a lot more sodium, which is a bonus as far as I’m concerned.
Exactly what I take after a race, or hard training session away form home.
So I’ve seen in a number of places including this forum optimal protein intake is 20-30g so would an “optimal” post ride shake be say 25g of whey protein and 100g of carbs like say maltodextrin? (seems like a lot of sugar!)
1 Like
Hammer Recoverite is closer to 3:1 with 66g carbohydrate (Maltodextrin) and 20g protein (Whey) per serving. They call it “complex carbohydrates” and “ Precisely formulated to restore muscle glycogen, help rebuild muscle tissue, and reduced post exercise soreness”. They also add L-glutamine, L-carnosine and electrolytes.
1 Like
Endurox R4 (orange flavor) for me. It actually tastes good.
Or if I don’t have any available I’ll stop in a gas station for a chocolate milk and mix itwith a huge iced black coffee.
1 Like
I’ve tried Recoverite, Skratch Labs, FE Ultragen, and currently Endurox R4. I tend to prefer chocolate flavor and usually mix with almond milk. The best tasting is Skratch but also the most expensive and smallest packaging. Endurox R4 and Recoverite also tastes very good. I found Ultragen had a bit of a metallic taste that I didn’t like. I’m also starting to experiment with making my own with maltodextrin and whey.
@MI-XC thanks! Thanks, I’m sure for my “massive” workouts anything in that range will do. I’m going to make my own. I just bought a 25kg bag of maltodextrin off Amazon and I’ll mix it with some whey powder
Admittedly my contribution is a high calorie option, but it’s delicious, and it works for me. I usually limit it to big time workouts (1000cal+) and I certainly don’t add dextrose unless it’s at least an hour or more of intensity. For stuff like Pettit, I’ll just drink tart cherry juice and eat my normal breakfast which has pretty good protein. Stolen from Paleo Diet for Athletes, and modified:
8oz OJ
8oz tart cherry juice (usually from concentrate)
1 medium banana
1 scoop vanilla whey protein isolate
(Optional: additional TBSP of dextrose, I do 1 per hour of intensity, tempo plus)
Dash of salt
Ice
Blend.
450 cal without added sugar. Each additional TBSP of dextrose is +35 cal. Basic recipe is about 3:1 ratio. Add two scoops of dextrose and you’re close to 4:1.
Reduce the juice by half or drop the banana and do a half scoop of protein powder and you’re under 300 cal and 4:1.
I may play around with chocolate milk and/or Recoverite for a lower cal option, but I generally like real food options as much as possible. I used EnduroxR4 for a long time, but I don’t like paying that much for stuff and again like real food as able.
1 Like
Sis recovery is 1:1 carbs to protein so I’m surprised it keeps getting brought up.
1 Like
Same question here. Consuming 100g carbs?
4:1 ratio, that part I understand.
But how many g/kg/body weight are we talking about?
I read 1-1,25 g/carb/kg-body. So for a 70 kg, 100g sounds about right.
Still, I think that’s a lot of carbs.
Here’s what I’ve been using. It’s cheap when you divide it up into 250-500 cal servings instead of 1250 cals. I was using this as actual gainer powder before shoulder surgery to gain as much weight and muscle as possible pre-op. It’s 5:1, but I had it laying around, not using it for anything else.
Whats wrong with using this? provide a 3/1 ration of carbs to protein and taste amazing. Brings out my inner kid!
1 Like
As of late I’ve been making my own recovery drink. We had a lot of whey powder on the shelf and I put it to good use, making my own chocolate milk. It tastes good and I look forward to it while working out. However today after listening to the most recent AACC podcast, I decided to take a look at the macros and the calorie content of this self-made drink - taking into account that I’m the type of cyclist that wants to lose a little bit of weight (5kg. would be perfect).
So my standard formula up to now:
- 300ml half-skimmed milk
- 28 gr. whey powder
- 1 tbsp. pure cacao
- 1 tbsp. honey
However that ratio did not put me close enough to the recommended carb/protein ratio (I am 90 kg - ideal ratio would be somewhere around 100 gr. carbs and 33 gr. protein).
I would actually have to put around 100 gr. of honey in the drink! Which is really a lot in terms of sweetness, but also in terms of calories: the total would be around 600.
Replacing the 100gr. honey with 80gr. malto would put me in the same range of carbs and calories, so that’s not really a good ‘exchange’.
Any recommendations for getting the carbs up but the calories not so much?! Or is that impossible given the fact that each gram of carbs provides 4kcal anyhow?
Edit: Or should I not cut calories here but in other meals/snacks?
I’ve been wondering this for some time. Does anyone have any good info on using chocolate milk vs. the make-your-own gatorade+whey drink? I’ve used a small glass of chocolate milk made with 1% milk for the last couple of years, but lately have been reducing my dairy consumption and now mostly use almond milk for most things. But neither the almond milk nor the Nesquik really have any protein. Is there any serious drawback to using dairy milk for recovery that would make the sport drink & whey powder route more advantageous?
Fewer grams of protein? Would bring the total of the entire shake’s calories down if you followed the ratio. I do about 10g whey protein and 40g malto. Get the rest of the protein throughout the day.
I used recovery drinks pretty religiously last year (Rego and Endurox). When I ran out this fall, I decided not to bother with those mixes for my base period this season. Not that I was strapped for cash, but I was just curious. Switched to 1% choc milk (I have issues with whole milk) and after 10 weeks later of high volume endurance training mixed with SS and tempo and I hardly notice any difference in my ability to recover.
2 Likes
As the TR team would say on the AACC podcast: ‘‘It depends…’’ 
That makes sense in terms of the calorie intake but listening and reading a lot to advice on the matter, does reducing on the macros not negatively interfere with the window of recovery that you have directly after a workout?
Serious drawback? No. Very slight one… maybe.
Whey and casein are the two protein components of milk. Whey is the fast digesting portion and casein is the slow digesting portion.
Whey protein products are the fastest digested protein manufactured. That means that it becomes readily available to your working muscles during and immediately after your workout. This is important for signaling pathways involved in muscle building and growth, which is a process that subsequently uses fat stores as its primary fuel. If you don’t have a whey allergy, it is the ideal protein to use during or immediately after training, and is generally quite gentle on the GI tract because that’s what it was designed for as a supplement.
On the opposite end of the spectrum of proteins, casein protein products are the slowest digested of all proteins. That means that it can provide amino acids to the bloodstream and thereby to your recovering muscles almost all night while sleeping. This results in less (if any) muscle catabolism overnight. A faster digesting protein might only provide amino acids to the bloodstream for the first 1/3 or 1/4 of the night. On the flip side, casein would be pretty rough on the stomach during training because it just sits there and takes up space for a while!
REALLY grasping at straw there though! Probably doesn’t matter.
Popular Carb+Protein Combinations:
Vanilla whey protein goes with:
- Orange, Pineapple, or Mango Tang
- Strawberry, Cherry, Grape Kool Aid
- Fruit Punch or Orange Gatorade
- Country Time Lemonade
Strawberry whey protein goes with:
- Orange, Pineapple, or Mango Tang
- Any Kool Aid
- Country Time Lemonade
Chocolate whey protein goes with:
- Fruit Punch or Orange Gatorade
- Orange Tang
- Cherry Kool Aid
Birthday Cake whey protein goes with any fruit flavor at your own risk!
Cinnamon Swirl whey protein goes with:
- Horchata Powder
- Any simple or complex carb mix like table sugar, dextrose, maltotextrin, Vitargo, Karbolyn, Karboload
Unflavored whey protein goes with:
- Just about any flavored intra-workout carb you can imagine.
Can also use plain sugar for all or part of the carb source!!
CHO:PRO ratio should be completely ignored! It is not useful.
The ratio discussion was borne out of a couple studies back in the 90’s or early 00’s where increased testosterone was found when using a 4:1 ratio… which ended up mattering NOT AT ALL in the grand scheme of things for muscle growth etc. It matters not at all for lifters. Then the topic was laughably brought over to the endurance world where it matters less than not at all.
What should be discussed is:
- “How much protein do I need to eat per meal to meet my daily protein needs?”
- “How much carb should I eat post-workout, based on the expenditure of that workout?”
Appropriate answers usually range between:
- 15-35g protein, based purely on how much muscle mass the person has and not at ALL based on how long or hard the ride is.
- 30-200g carbs, based on caloric expenditure during the ride, and how well-fueled the ride was with carbs during the effort. Usually 50-120g fits most scenarios, unless your drastically under-fueling your training.
6 Likes