Looking for a great pre and post workout drink.

Pre- Coffee, Post- chocolate low fat milk.
Those are my two anyway.

ETA: Water throughout, I drink a ton of water every day.

water is good. my preworkout is coffee, my post workout is a protein shake and more water. i dont drink too much liquid before my workout or i throw it up in my mouth when i put my belt on.

Sadia2828 wrote: »

Any recommendations for great pre and post workout drink?

Coffee beforehand, chocolate milk afterwards.

No need for anything more expensive and well marketed...

It isn't a drink, but a banana post workout for me... (plus water). If I'm being really super-fancy, then a banana with coconut water.

On lifting days c4 or coffee and post workout I make a protein shake. Usually a scoop of optimum nutrition gold standard whey, cup of plain nf Greek yogurt, banana, ice and water.

Obviously I'm drinking water like crazy before, during and after the workout.

From what I have read caffeine 30min before workout, water during, and Whey protein after.

Caffeine - http://www.minervamedica.it/en/journals/sports-med-physical-fitness/article.php?cod=R40Y2010N04A0455 is just one study that has shown that caffeine may increase short term endurance and performance. It works more with lifting and HIIT as an elevated heart rate may not be desirable for steady state cardio exercise.

Water - Dehydration is more likely during intense training. Many researchers believe you don't need a prescribed amount of water. You just need to drink when thirsty. Here is a great video on why we may not need as much as people claim. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWASUMMQjj8
Still I work out in an old gym with no AC on a subtropical island. I sit in a pool of sweat after warm up lifts. I damn well am thirsty and think water is absolutely required.

Whey protein - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3577439/ is a great article and is fairly detailed on post workout. "For maximizing MPS, the evidence supports the superiority of post-exercise free amino acids and/or protein (in various permutations with or without carbohydrate) compared to solely carbohydrate or non-caloric placebo" now studies are still conflicting on timing. Are they not always conflicting? https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11350780 showed that "EARLY postexercise ingestion of a nutrient supplement enhances accretion of whole body and leg protein, suggesting a common mechanism of exercise-induced insulin action". So yes there is evidence that protein within 30min of resistance training increases protein synthesis.

Still why whey in particular? Basically it's faster to absorb into the body than other proteins. Egg for instance is more efficient in the amounts your body does process but it takes longer to synthesize than whey. What you are looking for in a post workout is something to hits fast to take advantage of the increased level of synthesis that was pointed out in earlier link.


You can take some of the fancy pre-workouts. I now take MP Assault but am switching to Transparent Labs Lean once is gets here. There are other not as studied supplements in these and they may or may not help you.

Personal Opinion:
Start slowly and give body a week at least before adding more than 1 supplement. If you add in a bunch at once you cannot judge if it's helping or not. You might also have side effects and would be hard pressed to point the one causing issue. If you do supplement it's also better if you keep a log with vitals and overall feelings both day of and days after taking. Something may help or hurt recovery and you might not put it together if not logged.

I do fasted cardio in the morning. Then coffee and some protein bar or protein shake. If lifting, then water and electrolyte during. I'll eat lunch after.

I have a coffee with half & half every morning, then lots of water. Then I run or Zumba for an hour. If water afterwards doesn't do it for me, I drink Gatorade G2 for the electrolytes and I find that refreshing.

BabyBear76 wrote: »

Depends on your workout. If you incorporate weight lifting: pre workout - coffee, black about 20-30 minutes before you work out. It will give you a boost to really push through your workout. Post workout: a good protien shake, find something without artificial sweeteners (Syntha -6 is one of the WORST things you can have), and drink it with water only.

Why water only? What would be wrong with protein powder and milk?

To the OP, I like C4 - cherry limeade right now. The beta alanine gives me a good mind set for the workout. Do I need a pre workout? No, but it is part of my routine.

Shawshankcan wrote: »

To the OP, I like C4 - cherry limeade right now. The beta alanine gives me a good mind set for the workout. Do I need a pre workout? No, but it is part of my routine.

C4 is under dosed on beta alanine.

https://examine.com/supplements/beta-alanine/