To maximise the effects of your training and aid recovery you need to take in protein within 30 minutes of finishing your session, with whey protein being particularly good at this point due to it having the highest rates of digestion.

As well as taking on protein, your stored carbohydrate also needs to be replenished. While low GI foods are best for building your energy stores before training, high GI foods directly after exercise will stimulate your insulin response to drive carbohydrate back into your muscles. This helps you to recover quicker and prepare for your next training session.

Six things you need to know about… recovery

High GI foods include white bread or pasta, while a recovery drink which contains both fast release proteins and high GI carbs covers both bases in a quick and easily-digestible format.

But what does recovery have to do with weight loss? Recovering properly from training will help you to get the most out of your next session. If you start with low energy levels, you are more likely to not hit your session targets (be it the time or distance you want to spend in the saddle, or the intensity you want to hit) and end up with a lower calorie expenditure than if you had recovered properly and fuelled correctly. It’s key to think long term and not that by skipping a meal after a training session you’re saving calories.

Emma Barraclough is the Senior Sport Nutritionist for Science in Sport, for more information visit www.scienceinsport.com