Contrary to popular belief, fitness gains are not made through training. They are made in recovery. Simply put, without proper recovery, fitness will not be gained.

What influences recovery? Hydration, nutrition, stress and rest before, during and after the workout. In other words, your training is like an endless chain - poor nutrition before a workout, coupled with poor hydration during the workout will lead to poor recovery after the workout - and probably through to the next time you train.

Stress (training) combined with adequate rest and proper nutrition is the recipe for improved performance. The better the nutrition, the less rest needed; therefore, the faster performance improves.

In other words, what you eat (and drink) is as important as how you train.

Food is one of the main tools for recovery. Proper fueling during the day as well as before, during and after your workouts are critical for fitness improvement and overall health.

Many athletes do not pay enough attention to what they eat and when; food becomes yet another hassle in their day. Spend one week closely attending to the quality and timing of your nutrition and I guarantee you will feel (and train) better.

Recovery from a workout actually begins before the workout has begun. The less uncomplimentary damage done, the better. It is not in the athlete's best interest to break down his/her body in a way that will not result in improved performance.

For example, if an athlete embarks on a run without being adequately hydrated, an unnecessary stress is being placed on the body. The athlete will experience a higher heart rate due to inadequate hydration, but fitness will not improve as a result, and fatigue will occur sooner. As a consequence, recovery will take longer, but will provide no payoff in terms of improved fitness. This can be referred to as uncomplimentary stress, avoidable stress with no payoff.

For recovery time to be minimized, make sure the body is properly prepared to take on the stress of exercise; this means adequate sleep, proper nutrition and hydration not only during the day but during workouts. Again, training is an endless chain. When training for events, there is never an acceptable time to ignore proper nutrition, hydration or sleep.

Here are 8 simple recommendations that you can start implementing today:

• To optimize recovery from workouts and maximize fitness gains: Eat 3 - 6 smaller meals a day focusing on high quality "real" foods that are fresh, nutrient dense, unprocessed.
• Include a small amount of protein in each meal or snack.
• Hydrate throughout the day; minimum of 64 ounces.
• Eat 1 hour prior to all workouts; ie., a Luna Bar, a banana, a piece of toast with honey.
• Eat every 30 - 40 minutes during workouts lasting longer than 75 minutes.
• Drink during every workout; minimum of 16 - 24 oz fluids per hour (even in cold weather).
• Eat immediately after every workout (within 30 minutes). A high carbohydrate snack with protein is best (ie., recovery drink, almond milk plus a banana and peanut butter).
• Eat a small snack w/protein before bed & eat immediately upon waking up to minimize time spent fasting (without calories your body cannot properly recover, NEVER skip a meal & keep feedings to 2 - 3 hours apart at most).

Happy Training, AND Happy Recovering!

Janine and Kate