Reovery drink for short workouts?

Nope. 

Water is an awesome recovery drink for short workouts.

I often make up a shake and drink half before and half after, but it is all factored in for my calories for the day.

Usually anything under an hour I'll just have water.  Workouts between 60-90 minutes I usually have a tasty glass of chocolate milk.  And after long rides/runs I use Endurox.

"What" you take in is only half of the recovery equation. The other equally important factor is "when".

For a workout that you plan to follow with a recovery meal, the sooner after the workout the better (within 45 minutes of completion is optimal). And then your next normal meal an hour or two later can even be the same ratio of carbs to protein if you want to be sure you are set up for optimal recovery. I eat 4:1 carbs to protein, as much as I like, over a period of time that is equal to double the duration of the workout. So if I train for 90 minutes, I eat in "recovery mode" for the next three hours. Usually that meals a recovery drink of about 500 calories before I hit the shower, a meal after I'm showered and dressed, and then maybe another small snack (fruit and raw almonds usually, with a big glass of water) 2 1/2 or 3 hours after I complete training.

Hope that helps.

For a short workout when a recovery meal isn't required, what I like to do personally is have a planned meal (lunch or whatever) right after I get done. I'm usually very hungry when I finish even a short workout. Typically I train in the morning so I either haven't eaten or I had a very light meal beforehand.

Usually nothing more than water. Sometimes if my run is between 45 and 60 minutes I'll have a small glass (roughly 4 ounces) of chocolate milk, but mostly I just drink water.

What she said.

Just water, especially if you want to loose some wieght.
A good recovery drink for longer distance with low fat is buttermilk..

There's a product called Endurox Restore specifically made for workouts less than an hour But if your trying to lose weight..I'd def go with water!

chocolate milk works for me!

Powerade "Zero" is what I use. It has electrolites with 0 calories and tastes better than water

I do.  It's only extra calories if you don't count it into your daily allowance.

I personal need it.  The longer I wait to nourish myself after a work out the more hungry I am through out the day.  I drink an off brand MM after every work out.

I'd rather work around adding in a recovery drink then be hungry all day and chance snacking too much through the day.

Edited by JC5066 2009-11-12 9:29 PM

I use coffee ~3cups in a large beer stine and a half serving of protein powder.  I tro to work out ion the morning before breakfast(also trying to loose weight) the coffee kick starts the tummy out of starvation mode and by the time im out of the shower im usually ready fro my oatmeal and eggs breakfast.  its just me and my thoughts on the matter im not a nutrition person at all and these are just things i have gathered from talking to people who cycle at the semi-pro level.

I would think this would be the time you would not want to cut calories. I have always read that if you're not replenishing your glycogen stores within those crucial 10-15 mins after a workout you are delaying recovery. Plus that is when your metabolism is reved up, so I would think by intaking some protein after a workout is just going to rev it up a little more.

For workouts over an hour I use Endurox Rx (Fruit Punch actually tastes good)
They make a drink called Endurox Restore which is specifically made for workouts less than 1 hr.

I ussually do about 8oz of gatorade and a Bannana or substitue another piece of fruit like an apple if it is less than an hour. If it is cooler weather and I know I didn't sweat too much, sometimes I'll go with water and the fruit.

Sometimes I'll do a Chobani (0% FAT greek yogurt) with a little grape nuts ceral mixed in for a little extra carbs.

Then theres always the stand-by... Skim Chocalate Milk. Just be sure to stop after about 8oz, because that stuff can be addictive , and you'll drink the whole carton in no time!

It really depends on what you're trying to do.

For example, I am trying NOT to lose weight and with my current workout load it requires me to eat a good deal. 

So I'll usually have some PB or choc milk after a workout regardless of length. I'm staying steady on weight now, so it is wrking pretty good.

When I was losing weight, I definitely didn't do anyting for short workouts, and lost weight... so I guess that worked too.

What people are missing here is that you should really be figuring out what your total daily caloric intake should be given the amount of workload your body has to go throughout the day.  Eating or drinking nothing but water right after your workout may be the wrong thing to do, regardless of whether or not you're trying to lose weight.

i use endurox restore for anything under an hour and endurox r4 for anything over an hour.

I usually hit the water or mix 1/2 the amount of recoverite that I usually use.