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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
Enter via the widget below! The lucky winner will be announced Tuesday morning.
I’ll see ya later today with Friday Faves!
xoxo
Gina
263 Comments
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Banana with pb pre- or post-workout is my jam.
I love cherries, so maybe I’ll try tart cherry juice!
What I eat definitely affects my workouts and my energy levels
I typically have peanut butter and an apple before I work out in the morning.
Chocolate milk!
I love chocolate milk after a hard workout or race!
I love protein smoothies after intense workouts!
I follow you on Instagram! 🙂
I’m totally on the energy bite bandwagon. Almond butter with chia, flax, oats, honey, and chocolate chips (duh).
Yogurt after a workout
I follow on IG
I typically do tart cherry juice + water pre workout. I never thought to make it into something more exciting!
My favorite pre-workout fuel is a banana with almond butter. Post-workout I tend to have a meal, which usually includes an egg scramble with veggies and cheese.
Banana and peanut butter pre-workout. Protein shake after.
I follow you on Instagram.
Either a protein shake (vega chocolate smoothie powder, coconut milk and banana) or an apple and peanut butter!
Good ol’ pb on banana
I usually eat an apple with peanut butter post-workout.
I follow on instagram!
If I need a little something before a workout, I’ll usually have part of a Lenny & Lenny cookie or a mini Larabar. Something quick and simple that I won’t be burping up! After workouts, I always want something cold and refreshing like a smoothie or acai bowl with added protein.
Banana works best for me pre-workout!
I like just a little toast!
good old half banana + nut butter! or sometimes a few prunes 🙂
i follow you on insta!
A half a serving of steel cut oats with a half banana and a little coconut oil. Perfect!
I love banana and pb before a workout.
An English muffin with almond butter post workout!
I’ve been wanting a fitness tracker! I like a protein smoothie after a workout 🙂
I don’t have a favorite post workout snack, but I recently started trying to find one. I’ve noticed being more fatigued during the day, so I need to take a closer look at my nutrition and see what works best pre and post workout
I follow you on Instagram!
I’ve heard before about cherries being good for athletes but I didn’t know why. Thanks for the giveaway!
Post workout I love a protein smoothie with lots of fresh spinach added!
I follow you on IG! Would love to try tart cherry anything post-workout to help with muscle recovery!
Banana and peanut butter! So good 🙂
I follow you on Instagram
This drinks sounds tasty! I’ll try anything to help with muscle soreness and recovery.
I love a smoothie after a workout!
I follow you in Instagram! (azornizer)
A peanut butter chocolate protein shake or greek yogurt!
As a personal trainer, I’d love to study this book for pre- and post-workout options to recommend to clients!
I’m loving a weird-sounding but delicious smoothie combo right now: frozen bananas, frozen blueberries, frozen spinach, cherry juice, protein powder, almond milk!
To recover after a hard workout I do milk with whole foods brand chocolate protein powder. Stretch, foam roll, ice or Epsom salt bath.
Follow you on Instagram
My favorites are banana and pb or a protein shake after!
I love dates with a tiny bit of almond butter (the Justin’s Vanilla is my favorite! Like candy!)
apple with peanut butter- pre!
smoothie (1/2 banana, vega, spinach)- post
I follow on IG!
before i like pb and dates or banana…after a smoothie with lots of good stuff!
I loooove my post-workout protein smoothies!
banana