“Ideally you want to eat something within 30 minutes of the end of the race,” recommends Dr. John Heiss, Ph.D., and lead scientist behind the Herblife24 product line. “The most important thing is to ingest carbohydrates to replenish glycogen stores. So a good mix of protein and carbs is key. About 60 grams of carbs and 20 grams of protein right away will go a long way. Also make sure to get some electrolytes going. That will help absorption of the protein and carbs.”

Before ingesting solid food, it’s a good idea to start with some kind of recovery drink such as Herbalife Rebuild Endurance, recommends Heiss. “You want to look for drinks that contain about a 3-to-1 ratio of carbs to protein,” he advises. “That combination will help jumpstart the recovery process, because protein is best utilized when paired with carbohydrates to elicit an insulin response. It’s also good to have a mixture of fast and slow-acting protein together with fast and slow carbohydrates.”