How to Turn Your Post-Workout Fruit Smoothie Into A Healthy Popsicle

 

 

Easy Post-Workout Yogurt Smoothie Popsicle Recipes for Weight Loss

 

The hot, sunny weather has finally arrived and what better way to cool down post-workout than with a delicious popsicle filled with healthy ingredients to help you in your muscle recovery. This Banana-Cherry Yogurt Post-Workout Popsicle recipe from Shefit is one you’re sure to turn to time and again this summer season. These popsicles are not only guilt-free and vegan, they’re also quick and easy – even your kids will love them as a summer treat! Not only that, they are also sugar free and packed with protein, making them the perfect snack for weight loss too. So if you’re on the lookout for the best homemade post-workout smoothie recipe, give these popsicles a try – you’re going to love them!

 

For the best post-workout fruit popsicles you’ve ever made, follow these tips before you start:

1. Always use frozen fruit so you don’t have to add any extra coconut water to your recipe.

2. Play around with the toppings – try adding melted, unsweetened dark chocolate sprinkled with freeze dried raspberries, dried coconut, granola and almonds.

3. When choosing your frozen fruit, make sure it isn’t the sweetened variety. Same goes for your coconut water – make sure it’s free of any added sugar or preservatives.

 

 

 

 

Shefit Banana Cherry Yogurt Post-Workout Popsicle Recipe

Ingredients

Popsicle:

• 1 frozen banana
• 1/2 cup frozen pineapple
• 1/2 cup frozen unpitted cherries
• 1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1 ¼  cups coconut water (less if you want a harder popsicle)

 

Dark Chocolate Sauce:

This can be done two ways – either melt dark chocolate chips in a small saucepan to make a thin sauce or stir together 1 tbsp. cacao or cocoa powder with 1 tbsp. melted coconut oil and ½ tbsp. pure maple syrup or agave to create your sauce.

 

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until mixture reaches a smooth consistency.
2. If you find your smoothie is too thick, add more coconut water to reach a thinner, smooth consistency.
3. Pour the smoothie mixture into individual popsicle molds, tap the mold lightly to make sure there are no air pockets, insert sticks and freeze for a minimum of six hours.
4. Just before it’s time to take the popsicles out of the freezer, make your chocolate sauce.
5. When your popsicles are ready, run each mold under warm tap water on each side for 15-20 seconds and gently pull the wooden stick out of the mold.
6. Dip each popsicle in the dark chocolate sauce and sprinkle with your choice of toppings (optional).
7. Place the dipped popsicles on a sheet of wax or parchment paper and re-freeze.

 

Makes 10 popsicles (depending on the size of your popsicle mold).

 

 

 

 

So why choose these ingredients for your post-workout snack for weight loss?

 

Bananas: the potassium in bananas helps replenish the electrolytes lost during your workout. Potassium also helps your muscles recover from a workout, strengthens their development and allows you to work out more.

 

Pineapple: known for their anti-inflammatory properties, pineapples can help reduce post-workout muscle soreness.

 

Cherries: known for their anti-inflammatory properties, cherries can help with post-workout soreness and boost recovery time.

 

Greek Yogurt: chock full of protein (upwards of 10 grams per serving), greek yogurt can help build muscle by replenishing your body’s supply of amino acids.

 

Coconut Water: a perfect choice to replenish lost electrolytes without any added sugar! Coconut water helps you rehydrate and provides your body with muscle relaxing nutrients to help aid in recovery.

 

Dark Chocolate: is full of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) which can help increase your metabolism to help you burn more fat and calories. It can also help curb any cravings for salty, sweet or fatty foods that can hamper your weight loss efforts.

 

 

 

 

3 important post-workout tips:

 

1. Always eat a snack or meal after your workout

 

• Eating a meal or snack post-workout helps to replenish nutrients lost during exercise and helps give you the energy to keep going. Replenishing your glycogen stores is especially important, and in order to do so, you’ll need at least 55-60 percent of your calories to come from carbohydrates. This can be in the form of an apple (4 oz.), ½ cup of pineapple chunks, 1 ¼ cup serving of raspberries or grapes (3 oz.).

• Make sure your post-workout snack or meal also contains some form of protein to help with muscle recovery. This is especially important after a day of weight training.

• Sometimes a meal is the last thing you want after a workout. If you don’t want to eat a meal right away, at least have a small snack within 20 minutes of your workout to ensure you’re replenishing lost nutrients. You can have your full meal 3 to 4 hours later. 

• For your full post-workout meal, make sure it includes complex carbohydrates like quinoa or brown rice, and a lean, healthy protein like tofu, beans or fish.

 

 

 

 

2. Increase your proteins

 

If you find yourself doing more intense training then you may need to add some extra protein to your diet (especially if you are trying to build muscle and slim down). Your protein needs vary depending on your size so use the formula below to find out exactly how much you need.

• Divide your weight in pounds by 2.2 to convert it to kilograms.
• Multiply that number by 0.4 and 0.5 to get a range of recommended protein intake.

Keep in mind this calculation is based on intense resistance training for long periods of time. If you find that your workout is not as intense, then your protein needs may not be as high. Base your protein intake on the level of activity that you’re doing to ensure you’re getting enough.

 

 

 

 

3. Drink water ASAP

 

Just like your body needs to replenish lost nutrients with food, it also needs to replenish lost fluids with water. How much you need depends on how long and intense your workout was, whether you were indoors or outdoors and your own body physiology. To get an accurate picture of how much water you really need post-workout, use this simple calculation. Start by weighing yourself before and after your workout, recording both numbers. For every pound that you’ve lost, drink 16 oz. of fluid. However, if you feel you need more, by all means drink up!

With the hot summer heat, you need more than just a smoothie to help you cool down post-workout. So turn your post-workout smoothie into delicious, healthy popsicles with the recipe above and you’ll have all the ingredients needed for your muscle recovery. Your daily exercise routine will definitely get a boost! And speaking of boosts, make sure your workout wear gives you the support and comfort you need. Try Shefit's Ultimate Sports Bra to give you the personalized support and stability you need to get you through even the toughest workout.

Note: The information mentioned above isn’t meant to be used as or replace medical opinion. Please talk to your doctor if you have any health concerns as these are only guidelines. Any changes to your diet should only be done while you are training, not on the day of a game or race.