The Best Chocolate Milkshake Ever or the Best Post Workout Recovery Drink

For those of you who have read my blog before, you'll know that in addition to making and eating ice cream, running is a hobby of mine. This past November, I ran the New York City Marathon for the first time. It was also, coincidentally, my first marathon. Running a marathon has always been on my bucket list, but it was only in the past two years that I got serious enough about running that a marathon was within my reach. Nonetheless, I'd like to think that having the marathon on my bucket list slowly motivated me to get in shape and gradually increase my running over the years to the point where it is today.

In addition to being a runner, I am also a vegetarian. Over the summer, as I was training for the marathon, I was often running 15 to 17 miles in 80 degree weather. My body does not respond well to heat and these runs often left me feeling ill. My husband suggested that perhaps I was not getting enough protein, and I gradually began to incorporate fish back into my diet. In addition, I began to read online about ways to recover from a long run. I found tips such as: stretch immediately after a run; start rehydrating immediately; take a luke warm bath; eat a meal filled with proteins and carbohydrates and drink chocolate milk. I began to incorporate all these strategies into my post running routine. I found the most helpful tips to be the rehydrating and the luke warm bath.

My favorite tip though was drinking chocolate milk. Who doesn't love being able to drink chocolate milk with the excuse that it is good for them? One day, after coming back from a run, I realized that I had some homemade chocolate ice cream in the freezer. Rather than making chocolate milk, I decided to make a chocolate milkshake. The chocolate milkshake was among the best I've ever had and very simple to make.

Chocolate Milkshake

3 or 4 scoops of homemade chocolate ice cream

Milk, enough to fill the remainder of the blender cup

Blend together in a blender or smoothie maker

 

I highly recommend this milkshake whether you are a runner or not. To those of you who are wondering why a chocolate milkshake is a good recovery drink for runners, the answer is that it contains a good mix of carbohydrates and protein. In addition, chocolate milk contains nutrients such as calcium and vitamin D and helps to replace lost fluids and electrolytes. While it may be going too far to say that chocolate milk is healthy for you, it is comparable to drinking a sports drink such as Gatorade after working out. So go ahead, go to the gym and then make yourself a delicious chocolate milkshake. You've earned it!

 

Until next time, keep calm and get your ice cream eating on.