.mmmmm I like peanut butter...off to shop tonight then!

I do find For Goodness Shakes useful and convenient. I just use them for the biggest runs I do as a recovery drink. Don't use anything else specific at any other time. I'll have one immediately after something like a 15 to 16+ mile run and it goes down a treat. I am lining up my family to have 3 of them ready at the end of Edinburgh Marathon!

Hmm... Well...

In my opinion if you're looking to gain weight (or halt excessive weight loss) use Mass Attack; it contains slow release carbohydrates and proteins to help you both recover and maintain your weight.

This article may help anyone wanting to bulk up their diet, it is meal replacements explained: Meal Replacements it's not an "absolute" authority, but it might help.

If you don't wish to use supplements, steer away from high sugar foods (like Ice Cream) and look towards high protein foods. 6 egg whites, 1 yolk, about 1 1/2 cup of SKIMMED milk (or to taste), nutmeg and vanilla extract (to taste) and optional banana and honey (to taste) gives you a high protein Egg Nog drink, but it takes a while to prepare.

Chocolate milkshake (such as nesquik) isn't quite as good a recovery drink as the purpose 'engineered' recovery drinks... but they offer many of the recovery benefits for a fraction of the price.

Whether the extra cost of the 'proper' recovery drinks is justified and good value for the additional recovery benefit it offers is entirely down to personal beliefs as you just can't quantify the benefits in terms of increased running ability.

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www.richardsimkiss.co.uk
'The minimum requirement to achieve something is to believe that it's possible'

I must contest this, simply because virtually every food will aid recovery to some degree.
After training, your body requires nutrition, so feeding your body that nutrition, will help it recover.

However, in the grand scheme of things, Milk really is poorly suited to aiding recovery, but if you insist on taking it, please steer away from powdered milkshakes (i.e. Nesquik), they contain just as many negatives as they do positives.
The entire foundation of the idea that powdered milkshakes are in some way beneficial or in any way mimic a catered nutritional supplement are fundamentally flawed...

I apologise if I'm being overzealous, but I feel that the point can't be emphasised enough, I completely understand the cost argument, but there are many many alternatives to powdered milkshake mixes that involve little or even no additional expense...

You're clearly more knowledgeable on the subject than I am, though I recall reading an article on the balance of carbs/protein in choc milkshake makes it a suitable cheap recovery drink.

I certainly agree that virtually every food will aid recovery to some degree, and I guess this is part of the discussion - are the extra costs of manufactured recovery drinks justified by the increase in recovery rates? Which I think is down to personal belief - I use a recovery mix from www.myprotein.co.uk after particularly hard sessions - I can't say I really notice any difference on the occaisions I do use it, compared to the occaisions where I don't - though despite no noticeable benefit i still use it as I feel it must do something!

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www.richardsimkiss.co.uk
'The minimum requirement to achieve something is to believe that it's possible'

....well went into Tesco tonight on the way home...and ended up coming out with none because there were so many to choose from, I just got all confused!

Oh, Did get some peanut butter to put in my own

After a long run (currently 16 - 18 miles) I drink 'Mars Refuel' and eat a banana. This definitely works, i.e. it restores my energy level quickly so that once I get home 5 minutes later I can do some stretching and start cooking, instead of collapsing in a chair .

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My 2010 Target Times(Actual Times in Red)
10k — sub 40 mins (3_:__)
10 Miles - sub 68 mins (__:__)
Half Marathon — sub 95 mins (1:__:__) Full Marathon — sub 3 hr 45 min (4:17:37)
http://www.justgiving.com/ErnieBryden/ *** Facebook Edinburgh Marathon 2010

The only issue i have with them is the high sugar

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Nutrition For Runners

Runners Diet

Go Hard Or Go Home

I've been reading this thread with interest, not because I need something after my run as I am only just starting out, but I do have a daily protein shake at breakfast. My reason for having a protein shake is due to very different reasons to those of people posting here, I read the Potatos not Prozac book which recommends cutting foods that contain added sugar out of your diet as well as limiting foods that have excessivly high natural sugar, in order to stabalise blood sugar and improve your moods ...................anyway I blend a Banana, soya protein, oatmilk (taste nicer than rice or soya in my opinion) and a scoop of porridge oats. It is a great way for me to get my protein as a vegetarian, gives me a good amount of energy each morning and makes me feel full until lunch time so I am not tempted to snack all morning. Now that I have started running I have mixed one of these shakes after I felt too tired to do anything an hour after doing my Run and it has been a great pick up.
Bit of a rambly post (can you tell I am new )

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Mum of 4 gorgeous girlies including 3yr old twins - I am just starting out and hope to go far ;O)

I read that book too...very interesting! Enjoy your running

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I'm a believer.... a make believer