As an athlete, you shouldn’t just work harder — you should work smarter. Your body needs to recover after training and competition, otherwise you risk hindering future performance. Your muscles grow after they've been challenged (lifting weights, sprinting, swinging a club, etc.), so proper nutrition can help you rebuild and in turn enhance your game.

Since we know you’re going hard — and can probably use a reminder to recover — we recommend you blend up a smoothie post-workout to you hit reset. Benefits include:

• Nutrient dense and easy on-the-go

• Packed with fruits — natural sources of carbohydrates for energy (instead of refined sugars)

• Easy way to eat nuts like almonds, which contain nutrients needed for muscle repair such as essential fatty acids

• Packed with potassium for muscle health (avocado, spinach, or bananas if you choose)

• Replenishes lost electrolytes

Post-sweat sesh, we recommend acai because it’s rich in antioxidants. Without properly providing your body with an antioxidant like acai, the days and weeks you train may cause damaging oxidative stress and inflammation. In addition, remember that protein is essential for repairing tissues, promoting growth, and preserving lean muscle mass. So be sure to get a protein such as almond butter, as well as some extra vitamins and minerals by way of your favorite organic greens and fruits — try spinach and dates, which add extra sweetness and thickness.

Post-workout “Acai A-Game” Smoothie:

• 1 cup cultured vanilla coconut milk or any non-dairy milk (like almond milk)

• 1 packet frozen acai

• 6 strawberries

• ½ avocado

• 2 tbsp almond butter

• 3 dates

• 1 cup spinach

Optional: add granola on top

Blend it up and enjoy!

Athletes for Yoga Coach Chloé Dee Dudley is a fitness specialist at Seattle University, and owns Nutritional Gangster, legit health coaching practice. To learn more about how to fuel your optimal performance, visit www.nutritionalgangster.com.