The Beachbody people push their recovery drinks pretty hard through P90X, understandably since they make money off of them. If you already use protein or recovery drinks anyway, it probably makes sense to use theirs during the program. I don’t use any recovery drinks because I am on such a calorie restriction. Recovery drinks have at least 200 calories in them so I would have to skip one of my small meals/snacks during the day to fit in the recovery drink.
I don’t feel that I am any more sore without the recovery drink but I do wonder if I would be seeing more changes in my muscles if I was drinking it due to the extra protein. But I also know I’m not going to see any muscle definition until the layer of fat over top of those muscles gets thinner!
To reduce soreness and fatigue I always warm up and cool down and make sure I get a good balance of protein and good carbs from my diet by including whole grains, lean meats and greek yogurt. I try to shoot for a 30/30/30 balance of carbs, proteins and fats (with 10% flex room of course) to stay balanced. But, I find that I’m always carb heavy and protein light.
I also try to stay very hydrated since our bodies need water to flush out the acid that builds up in muscles after workouts. To do this I keep a glass of water by me at all times. I find that if it’s there, I’ll drink it. If it’s not there I won’t think about it. So I’ve had to make it a habit to fill it up each time I get up so water is always available within an arm’s distance.
My last tip for reducing muscle soreness and fatigue is massaging your muscles. Now I know I can’t afford a professional masseuse after each workout and you probably can’t either. Another option is to try to massage your own muscles. But, I can’t reach everywhere, my hands get tired and it’s just awkward anyway. So far the best solution I’ve found is this foam roller that was recommended by my doctor. I got the biggest one after reading reviews because they said you could use it on any body part. You lay the foam roll on the ground and roll your body on top of it. The weight of your body against the roller massages whatever part you put on it. You can also use it on your back to loosen up your spine. I always get a few of those awesome “pops” in my spine when I roll on it. I use it whenever I have sore muscles and it is helping with the spasm in my lower back.
What tips do you have for recovering from P90X workouts and reducing soreness and fatigue?
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I’ve heard that–believe it or not–chocolate milk is actually a great recovery drink…I can’t use it myself, though, or I’d drink it all in one day.