Regardless of your fitness routine and your fitness goals, it’s important to understand the need to fuel and hydrate appropriately before, during and after your exercise regime. For example, if building up muscle is your goal, then protein is important to support muscle repair after strength training. If endurance sports are your game, then refuelling with easily digested carbohydrates is key to keep you going to the finish line. 

Regardless of how much and how intensely you exercise, it’s important to consume some food to refuel after your workout. This is a great time to have a smoothie as they are easy to digest, quick to make, and you can throw in all sorts of great fuelling ingredients.

This banana-almond smoothie is one of my family’s favorites. After exercise, the banana and honey provide an instant replenishment of healthy carbohydrates (glucose); the almond butter along with Greek yogurt provide quality protein for muscle repair, and the coconut water is great to boost depleted electrolytes from sweating – specifically sodium, potassium and magnesium. This becomes particularly important if you live in the tropics like we do here in Singapore.

I’m sure you also deserve to simply reward yourself with this creamy, nutritious drink after exercise, or indeed as a delicious healthy snack to re-energize anytime of the day. Make it in the morning and bring it to work in a thermos flask, and save for that afternoon slump that just might kick in, or to get you through that after-work exercise class!

Ingredients

• 1 frozen banana

• 1 tbsp. almond butter

• 1 cup unsweetened coconut water

• ½ cup Greek or natural yogurt

• 1 tbsp. flax or chia seeds

• honey (to taste)

Instructions

1. Simple blend all ingredients.

2. Sprinkle with quality cocoa powder or nibs for added antioxidants. You deserve it!

Enjoy!

Visit the Health & Vitality page to find out more about Liza's business.

_{This article was originally published on Health and Vitality blog and has been reposted on Executive Lifestyle with the permission of the author.} 

_{Edited by Nedda Chaplin}

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