For many people, the term “recovery nutrition” conjures images of athletes chugging protein shakes to soothe sore legs. However, true recovery extends far beyond any single nutrient or practice and is instead a holistic process.
When executed properly, recovery helps realize the adaptations you’ve trained for and involves a few main elements, known as the R’s of recovery:
- Rehydrating
- Refueling
- Promoting muscle repair and growth
- Resting (quality sleep and a physical reset)
This article will provide an overview of these four recovery principles to help you make the most of your training.
Rehydrate
Athletes lose fluids throughout the day via elimination (urine and feces), breathing, and especially sweating. Sweat is the body’s cooling mechanism during exercise and in response to a hot environment. How much you sweat depends on factors like exercise intensity, duration, environmental conditions, clothing materials, and protective equipment. Sweat rates vary widely depending on sports and individuality—some athletes lose about 0.8 liters per hour in cooler, less intense conditions, while others lose over 1.5 liters per hour in hotter, more intense scenarios, or when wearing protective equipment (1).
Over an entire session an athlete could lose several pounds of fluid. To fully rehydrate after exercise, athletes should not only replace the fluid they lost during the session but also drink about 25-50% more to account for continued fluid losses during the recovery period. Even mild dehydration (around a 2% body weight loss in fluids) can impair cognitive function, power, and strength. For a 150-pound athlete losing 3 pounds of fluid (2% of body weight), about 50-60 ounces (1.7-2.0 liters) of fluid over the next 2-4 hours may be needed to achieve 125-150% fluid replacement (2,3).
If your next training session or competition is coming up soon, achieving fluid balance quickly becomes even more critical.
Note on Electrolytes: While electrolytes (especially sodium) play a role in fluid balance, generally, if you’re consuming an adequate diet and salting food to taste, you may meet electrolyte needs without sodium supplements—especially for sessions under four hours, in moderate conditions, or if you’re not an outliers in terms of sodium losses.
Refuel
Refueling involves replenishing glycogen (stored carbohydrates) that were depleted during exercise. Glycogen usage varies based on training status, intensity, and duration. Quickly refueling post-ride is important because carbohydrate restoration is “biphasic.” Glycogen is restored most rapidly in the first few hours after exercise (when muscle cells are particularly responsive) and then at a slower rate thereafter. Capitalizing on this rapid initial recovery phase becomes more important as the time between sessions narrows.
When speedy glycogen restoration is needed, consuming about 1.2g/kg body weight each hour for the first four hours post-exercise maximizes glycogen replenishment. For a 150-pound athlete (about 68 kg), that’s around 82 grams of carbohydrate per hour. In practical terms, this could be something like a bagel plus a large banana each hour alongside adequate protein (4,5).
Not all scenarios demand such an aggressive intake, nor would most athletes eat in such a way. Athletes may find it more practical to refuel by having a recovery shake made with skim milk and whey protein, plus a PB&J sandwich or a Coke while cleaning their bike, stretching, or showering post-ride. This can then be followed by a meal within an hour or so that provides about 2 g/kg of carbohydrate. This approach is more realistic and allows athletes to make the most of the recovery window and volume of carbohydrate needed while tending to other post-ride rituals.
Repair
After exercise, protein aids muscle repair, remodeling, and supports immune function. Muscle fibers can be damaged by high loads, intense strains, eccentric contractions, and simply the ongoing renewal process of muscle tissue. Adequate protein intake helps rebuild these fibers stronger and more resilient.
Athletes typically need more protein than sedentary individuals: about 1.2-2.0 g/kg/day or higher, depending on factors like sport, training load, and overall dietary pattern. In practical terms, aiming for roughly 25-40 grams of protein per meal or snack is a good target for most athletes, ensuring that total daily intake falls within recommended ranges. This regular distribution of protein throughout the day helps maintain a steady supply of amino acids for muscle repair (6,7).
Some Protein Pointers:
- Combine Protein and Carbohydrate: Eating protein alongside carbohydrates post-exercise enhances glycogen restoration and spares amino acids for muscle building, rather than having them converted to energy.
- Protein Timing: Having protein around training sessions can help limit strength loss and may reduce soreness.
- Type of Exercise Matters: Protein intake may reduce soreness more for untrained individuals and after eccentric exercises (like running or lifting) than for those who are trained or doing concentric exercises (like cycling).
- Daily Consistency: Protein needs remain fairly stable day-to-day. However, during phases of eccentric loading, increased resistance training, contact sports, weight loss, or injury, slightly higher protein intakes (2.0-2.5g/kg) can help optimize recovery.
Rest
Finally, the fourth R—Rest—often gets overlooked. Without adequate rest, the benefits of rehydration, refueling, and repair are diminished. Sleep is a cornerstone of recovery. Yet, many athletes report sleeping less than seven hours per night, which can undermine training efforts and performance gains.
Even mild sleep deprivation raises the perceived effort of exercise, potentially leading to higher heart rates, increased ventilation, and greater lactate accumulation. It can also lower anaerobic power, affecting sprints and other high-intensity efforts. Moreover, sleep deprivation hinders glycogen restoration, reduces stamina, and slows muscle recovery. These consequences aren’t limited to physical performance; cognitive functions—such as reaction time, decision-making, and mood—also suffer.
In short, poor sleep makes everything harder and is often underestimated as a recovery factor.
From a nutritional standpoint, maintaining energy balance is a first step in promoting better sleep. Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S)—where athletes chronically consume fewer calories than they expend—can lead to poor sleep quality and a host of other health issues. Ensuring adequate total energy intake supports quality sleep. Sufficient carbohydrate intake improves sleep latency (the time it takes to fall asleep), and adequate protein intake can also support sleep quality.
Things to avoid to promote better sleep include late, large meals, caffeine, and alcohol. Nutrition strategies that may enhance sleep include; high-glycemic carbohydrates, tryptophan-rich foods, and tart cherry juice (8). For more on nutrition’s impact on sleep, check out some of our previous TOOLBOX articles on sleep.
Bringing It All Together
The 4 R’s of recovery—Rehydrate, Refuel, Repair, and Rest—offer a simple yet dynamic framework. By actively engaging in these strategies, you can optimize the adaptations that result from your training. True recovery is not just about easing sore muscles; it’s about ensuring that when the next training session or race comes around, you can perform at your best.
As the time between sessions shortens, the importance of focusing on these four R’s intensifies. With proper fluid replacement, balanced carbohydrate and protein intake, and a commitment to quality sleep, you’ll be better equipped to meet the demands of training and racing. Over time, these habits will help you achieve stronger performances, improved health, and a more sustainable approach to your athletic pursuits.
References
- Gatorade Sports Science Institute. (n.d.). Normative data for sweating rate, sweat sodium concentration, and sweat sodium loss in athletes: An update and analysis by sport. https://www.gssiweb.org/research/article/normative-data-for-sweating-rate-sweat-sodium-concentration-and-sweat-sodium-loss-in-athletes-an-update-and-analysis-by-sport
- Dube, A., Gouws, C., & Breukelman, G. (2022). Effects of hypohydration and fluid balance in athletes’ cognitive performance: a systematic review. African health sciences, 22(1), 367–376. https://doi.org/10.4314/ahs.v22i1.45
- Cheuvront, S. N., & Kenefick, R. W. (2014). Dehydration: physiology, assessment, and performance effects. Comprehensive Physiology, 4(1), 257–285. https://doi.org/10.1002/cphy.c130017
- Alghannam, A. F., Gonzalez, J. T., & Betts, J. A. (2018). Restoration of Muscle Glycogen and Functional Capacity: Role of Post-Exercise Carbohydrate and Protein Co-Ingestion. Nutrients, 10(2), 253. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10020253
- Díaz-Lara, J., Reisman, E., Botella, J., Probert, B., Burke, L. M., Bishop, D. J., & Lee, M. J. (2024). Delaying post-exercise carbohydrate intake impairs next-day exercise capacity but not muscle glycogen or molecular responses. Acta physiologica (Oxford, England), 240(10), e14215. https://doi.org/10.1111/apha.14215
- Pearson, A. G., Hind, K., & Macnaughton, L. S. (2023). The impact of dietary protein supplementation on recovery from resistance exercise-induced muscle damage: A systematic review with meta-analysis. European journal of clinical nutrition, 77(8), 767–783. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-022-01250-y
- Margolis, L. M., Allen, J. T., Hatch-McChesney, A., & Pasiakos, S. M. (2021). Coingestion of Carbohydrate and Protein on Muscle Glycogen Synthesis after Exercise: A Meta-analysis. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 53(2), 384–393. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000002476
- Halson S. L. (2014). Sleep in elite athletes and nutritional interventions to enhance sleep. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 44 Suppl 1(Suppl 1), S13–S23. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-014-0147-0
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