How do you fuel for a double workout? (+chocolate coconut chickpea bites)

It’s WorkoutWednesday! And the sun came out! And my new Powerblock weights came in the mail last week! And…I got tired yesterday so I took a nap instead of going for a run (which is fine, listen to your body!). So today I’m making up for it with a double workout.

First up: a morning jog, about 4 miles. My pace is somewhere between 9:30-10 min/mile; I don’t wear a watch and sometimes even forget to look a clock before I go, but generally that’s about where I am (I think). I used the equation I’ve talked about before to figure out how much protein/carbs to replenish with:

0.7 x wt in kg x time in hours = total grams of carbohydrate in your recovery snack

So, for me today:

0.7 x 65kg x 0.75hrs = ~35g of carbs. (Remember, kg = lbs/2.2)

Usually a 3:1 or 4:1 carb:protein ratio is ideal, so my shake should have about 9-12g of protein. I drank it about 10 minutes after I got back and stretched, to be in the recovery window, and enjoyed it on the back deck for some mental recovery as well 🙂 It was so good I almost forgot to take a pic before I was done…

And only 3 ingredients! Again, if you’re trying to lose weight, then you should still be drinking this within 30 minutes of your workout, just account for it as part of your total calories, not in addition to a full day’s worth.

Chocolate Banana Recovery Smoothie:

Ingredients

1 medium banana
1 c 2% milk (if you use almond or rice milk, the protein will be off)
1 Tbsp cocoa

Directions
Blend. Drink within a half hour of exercise.

(the carbs are slightly higher than my calculated 35g; I’m not going to sweat it, but you could use less banana to be more exact!)

Workout #2 is lifting. And I’m going heavy. I’ve always been naturally…spindly. I have very little upper body strength, like most women, while at the same time being very tall (I’m 6′ without shoes) – which makes pushups difficult and pull-ups plain not happen. Over the next three months, I’m going to try to change this with Chalean Extreme and my new Powerblocks!

PowerBlock SportBlock 24 Adjustable 3 to 24-Pounds per Dumbbell Set + ChaLEAN Extreme DVD Workout –> click to get them on Amazon!

Because I’m trying to build muscle, I want to be sure I’m eating enough to compensate for the calories I burn and give my body the components it needs to get stronger. For a grab-and-go snack that will help do this: Chocolate Coconut Chickpea Bites!

They taste great with a glass of milk, and each little guy has 4g of protein and fiber!

Ingredients

1 can chickpeas, drained (15.5oz)
2 Tbsp cocoa
2 Tbsp PB2
1 banana
10 dates
1/2 c oats
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1/4 c water (if needed)
~1-2 c sweetened coconut (for rolling)

Directions
Blend all ingredients (except the coconut) in a blender or food processor until evenly mixed. You might have to scrape down the sides a few times; I added a bit of water to make it less dense. Chill in a bowl in the fridge for an hour, then roll into balls and coat with coconut. Makes 12 golf-ball sized bites.

*You could use unsweetened coconut, or even more oats to roll in if you’re opposed to the added sugar.

Nutrition for each bite (1/12th of recipe)