This is a sponsored post on behalf of MegaFood®. As a MegaBlogger, I receive compensation and products. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
You hit your paces. Your splits are negative. You’re out there daily, sweating it out, doing the hard work to become a better, faster runner. After your workout, you hit the showers and dream of all the records you’ll smash.
But wait! The hard work isn’t over yet.
Recovery is just as important as the actual workout. Muscles grow bigger and stronger when they are subjected to forces that cause tiny tears in the muscle fibers. The body repairs these fibers during recovery and builds new blood vessels to the stressed area.
Here are 5 post-run/workout recovery tips to help reduce soreness, enhance fitness and to keep you healthy all year long
Fuel up – One of the first steps post-workout should be to eat. For runs over 1-hour, there is about a 30-minute window to refuel to avoid insufficient glycogen stores for the next workout. I try to get the recommended 4-to-1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein via a smoothie or a yogurt bowl with nuts and fruit.
One of the easiest and quickest ways to recover is with a souped-up smoothie. I usually don’t have much of an appetite after a hard workout or race but a smoothie is easy to get down. It also helps with re-hydrating and replenishing the body.
I recently started using turmeric more in my daily food consumption because of its role in recovery. Turmeric contains curcumin, which is a powerful antioxidant. The curcumin helps to decrease healthy inflammation—something runner’s produce a lot of with the stress of hard workouts*. After hearing some runner friends rave about MegaFood® Daily Turmeric Nutrient Booster Powder
as a post-workout recovery aid, I wanted to give it a try*. Not only is it a simple way to get in a dose of turmeric, a full scoop of the booster powder enhances the taste of my post-run smoothies. See the recipe for my Mango Turmeric Recovery Smoothie below!
This product is specifically designed to help you bounce back from your daily workout*. Protective and restorative turmeric blends with wholesome FoodState® Vitamin C, tart cherry and a colorful Fruit Phenolic Blend assist in your body’s recovery*. Besides taking a role in physically recovery, MegaFood® Daily Turmeric Nutrient Booster PowderTM has another special ingredient, holy basil leaf, which supports mental performance and response time for when you’re hitting the gym or running the distance*.
Epsom Salt Soaks – Over the years, I’ve learned that my body does not particularly like post-run ice baths. But then again, does anyone enjoy that? Instead, I’ve started to do an Epsom Salt soak, which provides the same benefits minus the freezing temperatures.
Foam Roll/Stretch – My foam roller has become a part of my daily routine. I’ll roll for 10-15 minutes targeting my quads, hamstrings and calves. I also kindly ask Ron every night to do a calf smash on the foam roller for me. My calves are chronically tight so this helps a ton. Stretching regularly has helped too. And of course, yoga. I try to attend at least two classes a week and will pop out some poses every so often to combat the stiffness that accumulates throughout the day.
Mountain top yoga is optional but highly encouraged. 
Sleep – I try to get at least 7-hours of sleep a night or more before a long run or hard workout. Sleep is when the body fully recovers from all of your hard work. If you skimp on sleep, you skimp on recovery.
Rest Days – Taking at least one rest day a week is vital for recovery. The same stress that builds up your running performance can also break it. Rest days allow the body to recover from the high impact of running. If your rest day involves laying low and not moving much, that’s fine. You may want to opt for an active recovery of gentle yoga, mobility work or a walk. Just remember that it’s an easy effort.
Mango Turmeric Recovery Smoothie
Makes one large smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup frozen cubed mango
- 1 frozen banana, cut up
- 1 cup milk of your choice (dairy or non-dairy, I used unsweetened coconut milk)
- 1 scoop MegaFood® Daily Turmeric Nutrient Booster Powder
- 1 serving vanilla protein powder – optional
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a high speed blender
- Blend until smooth
- Add more milk or non-dairy milk as needed for desired consistency
- Pour into a glass and serve
After a hard workout, bounce back with this refreshing Mango Turmeric Recovery Smoothie. @MegaFood…
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How do you recover from hard workouts?
*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
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