Planning to step up your strength training over the winter season? It's time to start blending your post-workout meals and turning to nutritious (and let's not forget delicious) smoothies! Here's everything you need to know to get you blending in a heartbeat:

Recovery Smoothies Fight Free Radicals

Intense exercise creates free radicals in the body through a process called oxidative stress, during which your antioxidant defenses are momentarily weakened until your body recovers and re-strengthens. You can help offset this temporary vulnerability with a post-workout recovery smoothie that includes antioxidant-rich blueberries, strawberries and cranberries.

Recovery Smoothies Replenish Your Glycogen Stores

A high glycemic carbohydrate should also be considered an essential part of your recovery strategy, replenishing the glycogen stores in your muscles after a workout. And, since the optimal time to do this is within the first 30 minutes after exercising, when your muscles are most susceptible, be sure to blend that recovery smoothie quickly, and include high-glycemic carbohydrates like oatmeal, carrots, and honey.

Recovery Smoothies Are Easily Digestible

The less work your body needs to do to digest your food, the better it is able to deliver important nutrients from said food to your recovering muscles. Since the highly nutritious ingredients in your recovery smoothies are already blended and easy to digest, your body is left with more energy to bring nutrients back to your muscles.

Recovery Smoothies Neutralize Your Acidic State

Intense exercise creates an acidic environment in your body that should be neutralized as quickly as possible to avoid leaching calcium from your bones or nitrogen from your muscle tissue. Simply add some greens like fresh spinach or certain neutralizing fruits like lemons and limes to your post-workout recovery smoothie to address this issue.

Recovery Smoothies Replace Your Electrolytes

When you have a good sweat you lose important electrolytes, which are conductors that transmit electrical impulses throughout your body. These are quickly and easily replaced by the fruit in your post-workout recovery smoothie. 

Recovery Smoothies Prevent Muscle Cramping

Recovery smoothie recipes often include fruits that contain potassium, like bananas, which is a miracle ingredient that helps to prevent the all-too-common muscle cramping and stiffness that can occur after a tough workout.

Recovery Smoothies Deliver Protein to your Muscles

Because muscles are made up of protein, add a protein powder like whey, maca or soy to your recovery smoothie. This will help stimulate muscle growth and prevent muscle soreness, which is caused by protein degradation after tearing the muscles. There you have it: seven incredible reasons why you need to start blending post-workout recovery smoothies now. Shop our wide selection of diet and nutrition supplements to keep you in tip-top shape this season.