Fitness Friday - Shakes and Training

Over the last few weeks, Habs strength and conditioning coach Pierre Allard has presented you with a series of exercises and techniques to get you into better shape during the offseason. But, fitness and nutrition really do go hand in hand. With that in mind, in the sixth installment of the series, the man in charge of keeping Canadiens players in tip-top shape has asked team nutritionist Martin Frechette to explain the pros and cons of pre and post-workout shakes.

Smoothies or shakes (protein shakes) all have their respective advantages and disadvantages as well. One of the advantages is that they're quick and efficient. You can use a variety of foods and ingredients. For people who have specific nutritional requirements and don't have much time to prepare them, they're very practical. Also, when we want to bring them with us and we don't necessarily have time to digest them - before a workout, for example - they're very practical, as well.
The disadvantage of shakes, since they're liquid-based and quickly digested, is that they tend not to alleviate hunger for long. Even if they featured plenty of nutrients and were very filling, you'll likely begin to feel hungry and want to eat again. If you're a very active person and eat several times per day, it's fine. But, if you're someone less active or someone who is watching their weight, it can play tricks on you. Shakes are very popular, but that aspect cannot be ignored.
Before a workout, when it comes time to consume the shake, the most important thing is to take individual tolerance levels into consideration. You have to make sure that regardless of the ingredients you use, you tested and tolerated them properly and have no gastric reflux or similar ill effects.
The principal thing that a pre-workout shake has to feature is carbohydrates. Fruits, vegetables and/or fruit juices are just a few examples. Then, you're free to choose which ones you'd like to keep. Generally, you should consume a lot of liquid in order to hydrate before a workout. Water or fruit juices are best.
Finally, if you have a little extra time before your workout begins, you can add a source of protein. The role of proteins before workouts is to calm hunger. It isn't to provide energy or anything like that. You can add some yogurt, a soy-based beverage, soft tofu or something similar. Some people will add a source of caffeine because it stimulates the body when we're exerting ourselves, when we tolerate it well. You're not obliged to add huge doses because it can do more harm than help. You can even add some tea or coffee, to taste.
After a workout, you're in recovery mode so the shake has to repair muscles and tissue that were torn. There should also be carbohydrates to replenish the energy reserves of the muscles. As mentioned earlier, carbohydrates can come from fruits, juices, honey or even maple syrup to add flavor. Protein-rich ingredients like Greek yogurt, yogurt and soft tofu also serve to repair your muscles. Some people will also use protein powder as a supplement. You should finish it with a good amount of liquid like water or juice.
Also, if you happen to be someone who sweats excessively and leaves sweat marks on clothing, it would be a good idea to add a pinch of salt to compensate for the loss of electrolytes.
After a training session, the size of your shake depends on the amount of time before you have to exert yourself again. If you're training twice a day, recovery is of primordial importance and you require proper food intake in the 30 minutes following the workout in order to repair muscles and restore carbohydrate levels for the next session. In that situation, a larger shake is good.
In the opposite situation, if we work out once daily or three times per week, a smaller glass could suffice while awaiting the next meal. A mistake that is often made by people who don't work out regularly is consuming gigantic shakes
and taking in more calories than they actually burn during the workout itself.