#CellFish · In practice
Hungry After Your Workout? My Shake Starts the Night Before
A portable blender, a portioned mix, and one less decision after basketball.
By Jimmy Ricard ·
My post-basketball shake actually started last night.
Before packing my gym bag, I stopped at my Health Stack Hub at home. I chose the dry ingredients I wanted, portioned them into a little cup, and packed that cup with my portable blender.
After basketball this morning, once I had cooled down and stretched, the preparation was already done. I added water from the fountain, poured in my mix, and blended.
01 · Prepare ahead
The hub makes preparation easier
I have a Health Stack Hub at home and another at the office. Each gives the ingredients and tools I use a place where I can find them.
Yesterday, I shared how my office setup helps me make lunch between meetings. Today's example takes the same idea out of the house: a little preparation at the hub becomes a small container in my gym bag.
The full ingredient collection stays at home. The portion I need comes with me.
That is what makes the setup useful beyond the cabinet: it helps me prepare for the day I actually have.
02 · Fit the day
Same routine, a different version
I adjust my shake to fit the day. For this post-basketball version, I leaned toward more protein and less fat and fiber than some of my other combinations.
This mix included whey protein, collagen, cacao, chlorella, spirulina, blueberry extract, Kakadu plum, and glycine. I went lighter on additions such as nuts. Those are my choices for this particular version.
Keeping an ingredient library gives me that flexibility. I can choose a combination ahead of time instead of deciding everything when I'm hungry and ready to move on.
03 · Today's focus
Protein for recovery
Protein supplies amino acids that the body uses to repair and rebuild muscle. Exercise and protein intake both influence muscle protein synthesis, which is one reason protein features in recovery nutrition. [1]
Whey is my complete protein base. I also enjoy customizing the mix with the other ingredients. For me, the practical task is making a protein-containing meal easy to prepare and repeat.
The preparation habit supports consistency across the week. This is one example of my personal routine, and I change it to fit the day.
04 · Ready when you are
Water. Mix. Blend.
- Add water to the blender.
- Pour in the prepared mix. The choosing and portioning are already done.
- Blend and enjoy. Then clean up and reset for next time.
I kept this batch dry until I was ready to make it. If you build your own version, choose storage that suits the ingredients you use.
05 · Try it your way
Make tomorrow easier tonight
Your version can be much simpler than mine. Choose a familiar meal or shake, gather what you need, and prepare the parts that can be done ahead of time.
That's the Health Stack Hub idea in practice: make the next useful choice easier to carry out within your real schedule.
What could you prepare tonight to make tomorrow easier?
Explore the protein research
- [1] International Society of Sports Nutrition: protein and exercise — a review of protein, essential amino acids, exercise, and muscle protein synthesis.
One less decision tomorrow.
Start with one preparation habit that fits your life.