Moderate Intensity Exercise of Less than One Hour
Every individual is unique but as a general rule, if you are working out at moderate intensity levels for less than a one hour period, water should be your primary hydration source (no need to flood your body with sugar and electrolytes it doesn’t need at this stage).
Sports Drinks vs. Coconut Water
If you are engaging in high intensity exercise of over one hour in duration, you can sip on a combination of coconut water with a pinch of sea salt and some orange juice and/or honey.
You can experiment with what works best for you but here’s an idea of what a homemade sports drink might look like: 3 cups coconut water, 1/4 tsp sea salt, 1/2 cup orange juice and 1 Tbsp honey.
A fun anecdote: Professional tennis player John Isner, who played the longest tennis match in history at Wimbledon in 2010, credits his 11-hour marathon endurance on the court to coconut water mixed with sea salt. (Post-match he adds protein powder for recovery).
Blackberry & Coconut Water Post-Exercise Recovery Smoothie
- 1 cup (250 mL) blackberries, (frozen is absolutely fine)
- 1 medium sized nectarine or peach, skin on chopped
- 1 cup (250 mL or more) coconut water
- Handful (8 – 12) natural almonds
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) plain Greek yogurt**
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp (5 mL) honey (optional)
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) sea salt
Serves 1
Nutrition Notes:
- You can use any combination of fruit that works for you. Fruit is generally frozen at the peak of freshness so if fresh fruit is too expensive or not at its prime for whatever reason, frozen fruit is a great option.
- **You can substitute protein powder (whey or vegan) in place of the yogurt if preferred. My experience is that occasional protein powder is generally fine for most but keep in mind that powder is not whole food and, if over-consumed, can lead to GI distress. Discover how your body responds and adjust accordingly.
Directions:
- Combine ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until desired consistency is achieved.
- If smoothie is thicker than desired, simply add additional fluid — coconut water/water/milk beverage of choice.