Post workout smoothies are a great way to start the recovery process after a hard session. They are packed not only with all the macronutrients you need, but many of the micronutrients we often forget about needing to consume in our diet. They also come with a huge range of variety, allowing you to pretty much add in any ingredients you desire, as long as the outcome agrees with your taste buds. As well as this, they are quick to make and they can be put together before or after your workout.
The smoothies below are all super easy to make and only require you to add all the ingredients into the blender and blend!
Let’s start with a classic.
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The peanut butter and banana smoothie.
This is my go-to. It's so easy to make and banana and peanut butter is a combination tested in time. Here’s what you will need.
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1 banana
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1-2 tablespoons of peanut butter
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Your choice of protein powder (chocolate works well)
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1 cup of almond milk
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1-2 tablespoons of hemp seeds
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½ a tablespoon of cinnamon
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Ice cubes
You get a tonne of benefits from this smoothie. The banana offers a source of fast digesting carbohydrates to replenish glycogen lost during the workout, as well as being a good source of potassium. The protein powder offers a great source of protein (obviously) to help repair and build muscles, as does the peanut butter which also contains excellent sources of fibre and healthy fats. The almond milk, hemp seeds and cinnamon contain important minerals and vitamins.
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Strawberry smoothie
Another simple yet tasty go to. The ingredients are below.
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2 cups of strawberries
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½ cup of Greek yoghurt.
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2 scoops of whey protein. Strawberry, vanilla and unflavoured work well
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2 tablespoons of flaxseed oil
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8 ounces of water
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Ice cubes
The protein powder once again is used to repair and build muscle and the yogurt is also a good source of protein as well as fats depending on the type of yoghurt you choose. The flaxseed oil is great for reducing inflammation and strawberries are a good source of vitamin c and antioxidants.
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Chocolate and coconut
This is a little bit more adventurous, but the taste combination really worked for me!
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¼ cup of coconut flakes
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2 scoops of chocolate protein powder
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2 tablespoons of almond butter
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1 cup of almond milk. You can use sweetened or unsweetened
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2 tablespoons of chocolate chips (dark)
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Ice cubes
The running theme in all these smoothies has been protein powder, and this one is no different! You are once again getting a great hit of protein to repair and build your muscles from the protein powder. The almond butter is providing you with healthy fats, calcium, iron and fibre. The coconut also contains healthy fats and fibre whilst the dark chocolate chips are a great source of antioxidants.
There you have it. Three incredibly easy (and tasty) post workout smoothies for you to try! I personally like to make them before I train and place them in the fridge, so they are nice and chilled for after my workout.
Enjoy!
