Refueling after exercise, especially during the two-hour recovery window, is key in helping the body recover and prepare for the next workout or competition. And, when it comes to recovery, lowfat chocolate milk offers post-exercise benefits. It includes the right mix of protein and carbohydrates to repair and refuel exhausted muscles, plus fluids and electrolytes to rehydrate and help replenish what’s lost in sweat. With nine essential nutrients, milk contains key vitamins and minerals your body needs every day.

“The trainers, coaches and athletes that I work with agree that the two hours after exercise is a crucial part of training to help your body recover and refuel,” said speed skating superstar Apolo Ohno. “My races are often right after one another, so recovery is essential. I grab a lowfat chocolate milk to help me get fuel and nutrients back into my body quickly to help me refuel for the next race.”

USA Basketball Men’s National Team member Chris Bosh also is letting fans know that chocolate milk helps keep him at the top of his game. “Lowfat chocolate milk is an important part of my recovery plan – plus it tastes great,” he said. “I’m excited to be part of this important campaign to help teach athletes the importance of fitness and nutrition, and how drinking chocolate milk can help them refuel after exercise.”

Chocolate milk is making star appearances in locker rooms around the country as more athletes and top level coaches discover the benefits of refueling with chocolate milk after training. Experts agree that the two-hour window after exercise is an important, yet often neglected, part of a fitness routine. Active bodies need the right mix of nutrients and fluids to properly recover and get back in the game.

“What’s so great about lowfat chocolate milk is that it delivers the things the body really needs to recover – like carbs, high-quality protein, fluids and electrolytes – with the bonus of other nutrients like bone-strengthening vitamin D and calcium, all in a great-tasting, affordable drink that’s probably already in your refrigerator,” said nationally-recognized certified sports dietitian Tara Gidus, RD, who works with some of the nation’s top athletes.

A growing body of research supports chocolate milk’s recovery benefits. Most recently, a series of four studies presented at the American College of Sports Medicine suggests that drinking lowfat or fat free chocolate milk after exercise can help the body retain, replenish and rebuild muscle to help your body refuel and could even help prepare muscles to perform better in a subsequent bout of exercise.

To educate teen athletes on the role of chocolate milk in refueling their bodies after exercise and reward them for choosing milk, teens can join the “Refuel & Reward” program which provides them with a “virtual personal trainer” via their mobile devices. By texting REFUEL to 80800, teens will receive tips from world-class athletes and opportunities to win cool prizes including autographed gear.