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IMMEDIATELY AFTER A tough session, be it in the gym, out on the bike, or running around the park or pitch is the best time to refuel your body.

Following strenuous exercise, a number of physiological changes occur in your body. Chief among these is muscles become damaged and thus, needing to be repaired as quickly as possible, particularly if you have another session later on that day or the following morning.

Protein is essential in this post-exercise window and be it lean turkey breast or tofu, it’s important to get it in. But the thought of sitting down to a bland-looking piece of meat can be a little off-putting, at least until your heart rate has reached a steady state, when the real hunger pangs will most likely commence. But by then, that ‘window’ we spoke of may well have passed and the optimum time to refuel long expired.

Here, we’ve compiled a list of three of the easiest homemade protein shakes that you can carry in your bag to training and consume more easily. Why not make enough for three days and store it in the fridge?

Note: One scoop of your favourite whey protein is more than enough for a 20oz serving.

Peanut and banana shake

• 1 x cup of almond or soya milk
• 3 x tablespoons of fat free natural yoghurt
• 1 x large banana (peeled)
• 1 x large scoop of peanut butter
• Handful of ice cubes
• 1 x scoop of protein

Method: Add all ingredients to a blender (not a hand blender) and mix until smooth. Easy.

Nutritional information: Calories: 410 Fat: 7g Carbs: 30g Protein: 28g

Dark chocolate protein shake

• Handful of dark chocolate
• 1 x cup of almond or soya milk
• 1 x large banana (peeled)
• 1 x tablespoon of peanut butter
• Handful of ice cubes
• 1 x scoop of protein

Method: Add all ingredients to a blender (not a hand blender) and mix until smooth. You getting the hang of it yet?

Nutritional information: Calories: 485 Fat: 21.5g Carbs: 48g Protein: 32g

Peach and pineapple protein shake

• 1 x cup of almond or soya milk
• 1⁄2 cup of frozen peaches
• 1 x cup of frozen pineapple
• 1 x large banana (peeled)
• Good fist of kale, cut from the stalks
• 2 x teaspoons of flaxseed
• 1 x scoop of protein powder

Method: Add all ingredients to a blender (not a hand blender) and mix until smooth.

Nutritional information: Calories: 436 Fat: 9g Carbs: 62g Protein: 33g

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