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Help me out here. Looking for a 4:1 carb/protein recovery drink that doesn't taste horrible. Bought a jar of Accelerade lemon/lime recently and have used Accelerade orange before...they both taste horrible at room temp and I can't imagine having to slug that crap down while on-route after a hard OW pitch when you're parched.

 

Buhler? Buhler? Frieh?

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Help me out here. Looking for a 4:1 carb/protein recovery drink that doesn't taste horrible. Bought a jar of Accelerade lemon/lime recently and have used Accelerade orange before...they both taste horrible at room temp and I can't imagine having to slug that crap down while on-route after a hard OW pitch when you're parched.

 

Buhler? Buhler? Frieh?

 

have you tried watering it down a bit?

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Post workout (done for that day) or something to sip off through out an endurance activity?

 

Ideally both, but if an either/or, during the activity. Problem with accelerade is, when I'm really thirsty it doesn't quench like water and almost makes me gag when I get the first whiff. If it's afterwards, not a problem and I can choke it down without difficulty. Maybe all the protein containing drinks suffer from this?

 

I've diluted other stuff, but haven't tried it with the 4:1 stuff. Maybe I'll just switch back to cytomax during and accelerade after.

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I thought beer was the hardman recovery drink of choice???

 

:laf::brew:

 

Dude... breakfast! Right along with my stumptown! Get with the program!

44792_liquidbreakfast.JPG

 

Before I get into it a trick I commonly employ is empty a GU shot (hammer gel works best for this because it is the least viscous of all the gels on the market) into 16 or 32 ounces of water or even better water already containing a drink mix. IMO seems to really help with the flavor of the water (especially if you treated the water with Iodine) and/or the drink mix. This trick is also a great way to get your calories when you cant force yourself to choke down yet another GU shot... Id say try it once.

 

This could be a little difficult given "taste" is high on the list but here goes...

 

Cytomax: works as a pre/during drink. No protein so wouldnt work as a recovery drink. Basically what Gatorade should be (Pros: cheap if you dig around online, tastes good but can become "too sweet" for longer events Cons: 12g/sugar per serving, no protein so you cant use it as a post/recovery drink)

 

The rest of these are Hammer Products... I'm biased but I have had really really good results with them:

 

HEED: works as a pre/during drink. Basically what Gatorade should be (Pros: 2g/sugar per serving, hardly any taste to it so goes down easy. This + GU or Hammer Gel would be a solid combo for longer days Cons: Spendy for day in day out use, no protein so you cant use it as a post/recovery drink)

 

Sustained Energy and/or Perpetuem: For those long long days... when I "raced" ultras I consumed more Perpetuem than I care to admit. Sustained Energy is supposedly "tasteless"... if you ask me I think it tastes like paste (dont act like you didnt eat paste in kindergarten... you post here dont you ;) ) but you can mask that with a GU shot or something. The closest you will come to a "meal in a glass" (Pros: shit works... if you gotta fuel for a big big day this is the way to go Cons: too spendy for day in day out use)

 

Recoverite: This is the best post workout (done for the day) mix I have found. Really really helps with soreness the next day (when used in combo with a respectable diet) especially if you do a double workout day (CrossFit in the morning, rock gym in the night or something like that). They sell individual packets of this @ REI among other places... try it! I live off this stuff during ice season... I am convinced this in combo with a good diet and preseason training is what let me climb 5 days straight this past ice season on a few trips. Carry it in the mountains! Just dont use it as a pre/during drink... not designed for that.

 

And speaking of I really like mixing that Clif Bar hot chocolate in with my stumptown when ice climbing... seems I never eat as much as I should when ice climbing so this is a good way to get some protein. I guess you could just use regular protein but I like the taste of this stuff...

 

In a nutshell for me:

 

Foundation: solid training program and diet

< 2 hours pre/during: HEED or cytomax or Hammer Gel

> 2 hours pre/during: Perpetuem + Hammer Gel

Post: Recoverite

 

For a lot of the < 2 hour stuff I just rely on a good diet + water to get me through it unless I am planning on trying for redpoint or something and then I might consider HEED or a GU or something but generally I dont reach for the supplements unless it is going to be > 2 hours.

 

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Beer 'helps athletes rehydrate'

 

Last Modified: 02 Nov 2007

Source: PA News

 

Athletes can now sup their post-match pint in the knowledge it may be doing them some good.

 

Scientists in Spain found beer after exercise helps dehydrated bodies retain liquid better than water.

 

Fizzy lagers could also quench the thirst faster than still drinks because carbon dioxide bubbles may speed up the absorption of fluids, according to Professor Manuel Garzon of Granada University, who said carbohydrates in beer also helped replace lost energy.

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Half the students were then given a pint of Spanish lager, while the other half were given an equal amount of water. Both groups were then allowed to drink as much water as they wanted.

 

Spanish Lager = water

water > kokanee

 

QED

 

Guess Dru is right :laf:;)

 

 

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Heed and Perpetuem work great! I am not a big gel fan but the Hammer gel goes down easier than the rest. For shorter outings I use NUUN or Heed with a few shot blocks.

Recoverite seems to really help with muscle recovery and doesn't taste like old socks.

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Has anyone tried the system presented by Mark Twight in his book? A strict regimen of a maltodextrin goo every 1/2 hour and 750ml of water/hour to maximize gastric emptying supplemented with a few salts and a bit of protein to keep things running. Craig Connelly (sp?) basically outlined the same thing in his book.

 

Seemed to be based on some pretty solid science. I've been trying it out while hiking and so far so good.

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...Maybe all the protein containing drinks suffer from this?

 

I think so. I find that my body needs about 10 minutes to recover from hard work before I don't want to ralph protein consumed in liquids. So I do a protein bar and a normal carb drink. But I still give myself a few minutes before eating any of the protein.

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Did anyone else read that Cherry Juice helps speed recovery by like 20%? I'd seen it initially in a Mens Health Magazine. No protein, but you can pop open a can of tuna fish or nosh on a beef jerky stick for that I suppose. From the British Journal of Sports Medicine, and the sh*t tastes good too Will.

 

Link to study

 

Knudsens and a few others were starting to commercialize it and sell it in health food stores.

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Our nutritionist said the best thing as far as balanced post workout nutrition is a tall glass of chocolate moo. I like the Endurox R4 peach i think is the flavor. You gotta mix that shit just right though or else it tastes like either pixi sticks or cardboard.

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Well folks, thanks for all the suggestions.

 

Long story short, I just got home. The route was Steck-Salathe. I used plain water and GU on the route, somehow lost 1/3 of my water supply on the approach, so had 1 liter for the climb. Topped out and immediately started dry heaving from the dehadydration. At which point I wished I could pull a Dean Potter and drink my own urine, but these was no urine and hadn't been any in the 8 hours prior to topping out. After stumbling down the descent to the creek, I got some water onboard and another GU which gave me the legs to get the rest of the way down. Spent the next 3 hours rehydrating until I finally peed...after consuming 2 liters water and 2 of 50/50 powerade/water.

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