Rocket Fuel, Tart cherry energy elixir + GIVEAWAY

This post is sponsored by the Cherry Marketing Institute.

I’m always looking for ways to improve my workout fuel game. Back in the day, I’d head out for a long run the night after a few cocktails, skip breakfast, and wonder why I hit a wall at mile 6. I’d feel frustrated that I couldn’t lift heavier weights for my deadlifts. And, I couldn’t understand why my energy was hit or miss while teaching classes. Finally, I started to dig in and learn about sports nutrition, and was shocked to see how much proper fuel positively affected my workout experience.

I fell in love with the sports chews and gels, and found that many of my favorite store-bought workout fuel items could easily be made at home using healthy ingredients. Here’s something I made recently, using one of my favorite recovery tools: Montmorency tart cherry juice.

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Here are some of the benefits of this delicious little fruit:

Montmorency tart cherries have a high amount of anthocyanins, which are beautiful in color and have been demonstrated to protect the body against inflammation and various diseases. You can check out more of the benefits here. You can find tart cherries in frozen, dried fruit, capsule, and juice form.

To be effective, some sports nutritionists suggest using Montmorency tart cherry juice as a “precovery” drink.

All of the exercise-related studies have had athletes drink Montmorency tart cherry juice or consume tart cherries in other forms at least several days or a week prior to an event – as well as the day of and after. Soreness after a workout is caused by a combination of inflammation, muscle damage and oxidative stress – and researchers suggest the natural compounds in Montmorency tart cherries, including anthocyanins, may help with all three when consumed prior to working out, as well as after. 

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This little energy elixir is modeled after the energy gel you’ll find in the pouches at sporting good stores. The best part: it uses ingredients you may already have on hand and has the added benefits of tart cherry juice!

Other benefits:

Salt: electrolyte replenishment

Honey: carb replenishment (energy!). Increased energy can lead to increased performance! It’s also antibacterial and can boost the immune systems

Blackstrap molasses: vitamins and minerals, including iron, calcium, magnesium, B6, and selenium

It’s a delicious mix of tart and sweet, with a slight kick of salt, following a sweaty workout.  You can store it in little sport gel bottles or even reusable baby food pouches.

Here’s the recipe if you’d like to give it a try!

Tart Cherry

My friends at Tart Cherries sent me a new cookbook with lots of healthy recipes you can make at home to support your active lifestyle: Rocket Fuel. The author, Matt Kadey, is a Registered Dietitian and has created a cookbook packed with amazing recipes and new cooking ideas. I can’t wait to implement many of these in my rotation! All whole ingredients and super easy to make.

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Here’s what you’ll find within the pages of Rocket Fuel:

126 recipe ideas for power-packed foods, snacks, and light meals including bowls, puddings, wraps, sandwiches, bites, balls, squares, bars, drinks, patties, cakes, stacks, drinks, smoothies, shakes, soups, muffins, sliders, pies, rolls, DIY energy shots, and all-natural sports drinks

33 Before, 43 During, and 50 After Exercise recipes

79 dairy free, 85 gluten free, 76 vegetarian, and 33 paleo-friendly recipes

Smart-yet-simple sports nutrition guidelines for before, during, and after exercise

Complete nutrition facts for every recipe

I also love that he really breaks down sports nutrition into a format that’s easy to understand and follow. I can’t wait to share it with a lucky reader friend!

Tart Cherries kindly offered a copy for a lucky winner, and I’d also like to share one of my latest fitness faves: a Fitbit Alta. I’ve been using it for about a month now to encourage activity throughout the day, track my sleep, and it’s my favorite Fitbit because of the smaller, sleek design.

Alta

Enter via the widget below! The lucky winner will be announced Tuesday morning.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

I’ll see ya later today with Friday Faves!

xoxo

Gina

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263 Comments

  1. Emily F on May 27, 2016 at 7:59 am

    A glass of chocolate milk or piece of bread with peanut butter.

  2. Lauren @ Oh Hey! I Like That! on May 27, 2016 at 8:00 am

    The Rocket Fuel sounds amazing! And the Fitbit Alta is so much sleeker than the others!

  3. Laura T. on May 27, 2016 at 8:02 am

    I love sweet potatoes after my workout!

  4. Laura T. on May 27, 2016 at 8:02 am

    I follow you on IG!

  5. Erin on May 27, 2016 at 8:05 am

    Toast and peanut butter pre-workout, anything I can shove in my face post 🙂

  6. Jenny on May 27, 2016 at 8:06 am

    I love dates before a run or yoga class — and coconut water after!

  7. Carly on May 27, 2016 at 8:09 am

    I love cherries in all forms, and I’ve never tried tart cherry juice. I know what’s going on my grocery list!

  8. Elizabeth W. on May 27, 2016 at 8:10 am

    My fave pre-race fuel is a plain frozen waffle – if it ain’t broke don’t fix it! I would imagine that will have to change as I train for my first marathon ever!

  9. Stephanie on May 27, 2016 at 8:13 am

    I love tart cherry juice for recovery, so I’ll def have to try this recipe

  10. Annie on May 27, 2016 at 8:18 am

    I like bananas as pre-workout fuel. Would love to check out this book and have a FitBit Alta! I currently use the FitBit One and have been thinking about switching to a wristband.

  11. Amanda L on May 27, 2016 at 8:19 am

    Great recipe! My baby is 6 weeks old so hoping to get the ok to exercise and I’ll definitely try this drink. I love a banana with almond butter before i workout.

  12. Monica on May 27, 2016 at 8:20 am

    I love edemame after workouts!

  13. Erika on May 27, 2016 at 8:20 am

    I eat a banana before almost every workout- my stomach seems to reject almost anything else!

  14. Erika on May 27, 2016 at 8:21 am

    I follow you on instagram!

  15. Beth R. on May 27, 2016 at 8:21 am

    Prior to long workouts (think half-Ironman long!) I like rice cakes, nut butter and banana. Once the workout is done, I love refueling with as savory bowl of eggs, sweet potatoes and veggies!

  16. Nichole on May 27, 2016 at 8:22 am

    My fav post workout fuel is vegan chocolate Shakeology with a banana and school of PB 🙂 The Fitbit Alta is on my wish list! Would love to read the book also!

  17. Whitney Buckles on May 27, 2016 at 8:25 am

    My fitbit flex just bit the dust and I am looking to replace it–would love to try the Alta!

  18. Hayley on May 27, 2016 at 8:25 am

    I usually have a protein shake post workout! I have never tried tart cherry juice but I would love to.

  19. Hayley on May 27, 2016 at 8:26 am

    I follow you on instagram!

  20. Katie N. on May 27, 2016 at 8:26 am

    I like coconut water and/or greek yogurt after depending on what time I do my workout.

  21. Chelsey Hoffmann on May 27, 2016 at 8:30 am

    I have never owned a fitbit, but have always wanted to try one! I love half peanut butter sandwich after workouts.

  22. Emily on May 27, 2016 at 8:38 am

    I’m starting classes on sports nutrition this Monday! I can’t wait to learn more about it

  23. Caroline on May 27, 2016 at 8:42 am

    I love chocolate milk as a pre- and post-workout drink!

  24. Linda on May 27, 2016 at 8:43 am

    I love chocolate milk or a smoothie after a workout, especially when I get just the right ration of banana to milk and it’s almost like a milkshake.

  25. Melissa on May 27, 2016 at 8:45 am

    Amazing giveaway!!

    I love a protein shake- Vega being my favorite!

  26. Liz on May 27, 2016 at 8:48 am

    I can’t eat before a workout but I love a good smoothie after

  27. Karin B on May 27, 2016 at 8:48 am

    Rice cakes and almond butter, all day every day.

    My Fitbit’s screen cracked and a chunk came off earlier this week! I still wear it because it’s just a cosmetic break but I’m also super about it

  28. Katie on May 27, 2016 at 8:49 am

    I LOVE tart cherries!

  29. Sara on May 27, 2016 at 8:52 am

    Chocolate milk or avocado and eggs works great for me!

  30. Sarah on May 27, 2016 at 8:56 am

    I love overnight oats after a hard morning workout!

  31. Sarah C on May 27, 2016 at 8:58 am

    Protein smoothie – lately I’ve been adding a shot of cherry juice concentrate. I love the taste!

  32. Taylor on May 27, 2016 at 8:58 am

    I love chocolate milk after a good hard workout!

  33. Jess P on May 27, 2016 at 9:00 am

    I love a spoonful of nut butter or some chocolate milk. YUM!

  34. Carolyn on May 27, 2016 at 9:00 am

    I like eating dates for energy during workout!

  35. Megan on May 27, 2016 at 9:04 am

    I love cherries and have been wanting a fitbit (though I’m nervous what I’ll find out since I have a tied to your desk type of job!).

  36. Megan on May 27, 2016 at 9:04 am

    I follow you on Insta and Snap!

  37. Jessie Reeves on May 27, 2016 at 9:04 am

    My favorite post workout fuel is usually just lunch or a banana and cashews.

  38. Shana on May 27, 2016 at 9:04 am

    I love half a glass of orange juice before a long workout! I really can’t eat anything within 60 minutes of a workout (and let’s not discuss what happened when I tried to have milk pre-workout), so this is a nice compromise.

  39. Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine on May 27, 2016 at 9:06 am

    I always have some bites or protein cookies (all homemade) before!

  40. Shana on May 27, 2016 at 9:06 am

    I also follow on Instagram 🙂

  41. Chaitali on May 27, 2016 at 9:07 am

    I follow you on insta

  42. Chaitali on May 27, 2016 at 9:08 am

    I love love love bananas with chia seeds or sesame seeds and honey after my yoga session

  43. Jennifer Green on May 27, 2016 at 9:10 am

    Peanut butter is a great post-workout snack!

  44. Jacki on May 27, 2016 at 9:24 am

    I love Honey Stinger waffles.

  45. Jacki on May 27, 2016 at 9:24 am

    I follow you on Insta

  46. Lacey Carlson on May 27, 2016 at 9:24 am

    I like to have dates or banana before a workout, and something cold (like a smoothie) right after!

  47. Cara on May 27, 2016 at 9:29 am

    I love chocolate almond milk after a run!

  48. april on May 27, 2016 at 9:33 am

    i love almonds or a larabar after a workout!

  49. april on May 27, 2016 at 9:33 am

    i also follow you on ig 🙂

  50. Alicia on May 27, 2016 at 9:36 am

    I have been wanting to check out that Fitbit!

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