Wanted to give a big “Thank-You” to both Brett Sprinkle and Frank Rhoades for setting us up with new coolers in both the Epsom and Concord locations. Sprinkle delivered and set up the coolers, and Frank generously provided numerous samples for us to test, taste and evaluate.
In the end we chose one “Ready to Drink” training/post-training beverage – Myoplex Strength Formula.
Here’s the breakdown:
- 210 Calories
- 25 grams of Protein
- 23 grams of Carbohydrate (5 sugar)
- 2.5 grams of Fat
So what’s so special about Myoplex Strength, and why did we choose it over many other options?
In the end we feel it is an excellent choice to quickly refuel your body after a tough training session. As we have discussed previously, your body is ready, willing and able to process carbohydrates and refill your glycogen stores after training. Going more than an hour without fueling up after training will greatly inhibit your ability to recover optimally and continue to make progress.
We like this particular formula for some compelling reasons. First it has a Carb/Protein ratio of about 1:1. For those clients who are looking to lose bodyfat, we have observed a 1:1 ratio helps optimize recovery while not inhibiting the loss of fat. Many of the other protein/recovery beverages on the market have a ratio of 2:1 or more, and in some populations (skinny dudes in particular) may be more appropriate. The source of the carbohydrate was also a big factor in choosing Myoplex Strength. All the other products we looked at used sugar, while the Myoplex uses maltodextrin.
The cool thing about maltodextrin is that it a complex carbohydrate that does not slow digestion. In other words it still allows for rapid uptake of nutrients into your cells, which is exactly what we want.
Here is an explanation of maltodextrin from our friends at Precision Nutrition:
“Maltodextrin is a glucose polymer, a string of glucose units put together, similar to the protein peptide. It is therefore, by definition, a complex carbohydrate. However its more complex nature does not slow digestion, and thus, both the glycemic index (GI) and insulin index (II) remain high. Maltodextrin is the absolute best carbohydrate to consume during exercise for rapidly delivering blood glucose and for muscle glycogen recovery. It is also best for fluid uptake.”
In short we think Myoplex Strength is another great tool in your training arsenal, especially if you find yourself so limited for time you haven’t been cranking up those Super Shakes using your UMP.
The other beverage populating our coolers is Fiji Water, in two sizes. Nancy and I both like the taste of Fiji, and if you ever want to get your geek on about bottled water and the differences in different waters, talk to Sprinkle.
Download A Fiji Water Quality Report Here
As always, we aim to keep the prices of our supplements low in order to make sure you can get what you need at a great price! Please see your coaches for more details and to purchase. Thanks!
Dean, I thought we wanted LOW GI? Like in vegetables.
Dean – I have been doing a protein shake before the morning class and a cooked protein meal like eggs after class. Should I be reversing this order?
Dave,
It's not necessarily an either/or situation. You need fuel when you first get up and before you head into training, so a "supershake" of protein/carb (i.e ump w/frozen blueberries) would be a great option – doesn't have to be a lot, depending on your tolerance of food when exercising.
The point of the recovery shake is to do just that, help your muscles recover after hard training by restoring glycogen stores and making sure your body has the "mortar" – protein – to build the "bricks" – your muscle. Without adequate protein after training you will be fighting an uphill battle when it comes to maintaining, never mind building lean tissue. Studies show you need that recovery nutrition within an hour of training, the sooner the better. By getting protein in an easy to digest form, like th e Myoplex, your body can use it much faster than if you ate animal protein and it had to break down through the digestion process, then work its way through your system.
You do want to follow up with a regular meal within 2 -3 hours after training as well. That is part of your "regular" nutrition, and should not be skipped. So it might look something like this for you.
An hour or less before training: Supershake
Immediate post-training: Myoplex or other recovery drink
Within 2 hours after training: Regular meal
Dean
i use to just do half a protein shake before workout and the other half after with an apple, but i found i was starving by afternoon time and had a hard time in the evening with controlling my hunger. so i started eating a couple of eggs before workout then a shake after and i found my appetite is much more in control. what i'm worried about is not losing the weight i want because i was told u burn more calories (fat) if u work out on an empty stomach. Is this true?
Wendy,
How long have you been doing the second scenario, and have you measured what's happened since?
Dean