Got Milk? Campaign Helps Fund Additional Athletes' Goals

WASHINGTON, July 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- With training for fall athletic endurance sports competitions in full swing, the Refuel With Chocolate Milk campaign is doubling the number of Refuel Grants available in July from 10 to 20 grants. The move is aimed at helping more athletes and athletic groups pursue their goals – whether it's new training gear, travel expenses for the big competition or entry fees for the team.

From July 1, 2011 through July 15, 2011, individual athletes and athletic groups who give it their all and then refuel with chocolate milk can apply for a shot at joining elite athletes and coaches like Apolo Ohno, Chris Bosh and Dara Torres on Team Refuel and receive a $250 Individual Athlete Refuel Grant or a $500 Athletic Group Refuel Grant. Plus, all grant recipients score Team Refuel training gear.  

"Athletes who choose lowfat chocolate milk after strenuous exercise benefit from recovering faster for the next game or workout – and the science supports it," said Cal Dietz, Team Refuel member and head strength and conditioning coach at the University of Minnesota. "I'm glad to be part of a program that helps athletes perform their best by reinforcing effective recovery techniques and supports them by providing funds to help them achieve their athletic goals."

Ready for Some Friendly Competition?

Adult athletes and athletic organizations who refuel with chocolate milk can visit www.RefuelWithChocolateMilk.com to complete a simple application that includes submitting a photo and a 150-word-or-less entry describing why they want to join the team, how lowfat chocolate milk helps them refuel, and how they will use the athletic grant money should they be selected.  

Applicants must then rally friends and family to vote for their application. In July, the 10 individuals with the most votes will each receive a $250 Individual Athlete Refuel Grant, and the 10 athletic groups with the most votes will each receive a $500 Athletic Group Refuel Grant.  From August through December, the top five individuals and the top five groups with the most votes each month will score a Refuel Grant, with a total of 100 Refuel Grants awarded throughout the program.

To date, 30 athletes have received Refuel Grants to help pursue a variety of athletic goals. Curt Casazza from California is using his Refuel Grant to train for the USA Track and Field Masters meet this summer and Terrence Ates from Texas who ran his first 5K last December, is using his Refuel Grant to pay for entry fees and travel costs for an upcoming half-marathon and marathon.

Nature's Recovery Drink

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.  Naturally nutrient-rich, lowfat chocolate milk is "nature's recovery drink."  It's a simple and effective post-exercise recovery choice, with:

• high-quality protein to build and repair muscles;
• the right mix of protein and carbs to refuel exhausted muscles; and
• fluids and electrolytes to rehydrate and help replenish what's lost in sweat.

A growing body of research supports lowfat chocolate milk's recovery benefits.  Most recently, researchers at the University of Texas at Austin found that grabbing lowfat chocolate milk after a tough workout helped give both trained and amateur athletes a post-exercise training advantage compared to a carbohydrate beverage with the same calories (similar to a typical sports drink) and calorie-free beverages, in three related studies. Athletes who had a post-exercise lowfat chocolate milk– with the right mix of carbs and high-quality protein – had improved training times, better body composition (more muscle, less fat) and were in better shape than their peers who drank typical sports beverages with carbohydrates only. (1-3)

Chocolate milk naturally has many of the nutrients most commercial sports drinks have to add in the lab – including high-quality protein and key electrolytes like calcium, potassium and magnesium.  In fact, the more beverage companies innovate new technologies for post-exercise nutrition, the closer they get to the nutrient mix and vitamin/mineral profile that has always existed in lowfat chocolate milk.  

Lowfat chocolate milk also contains the same nine essential nutrients as white milk, including key vitamins and minerals your body needs every day – and, of course, it tastes great, too!  

Refueling Athletes Coast-to-Coast

The Refuel With Chocolate Milk campaign encourages athletes to rethink their sports drink.  In addition to the Refuel Grants program, the campaign launched a Refuel with Chocolate Milk Tour in late April that stops at marathons, triathlons, soccer camps and other sporting events across the country to help athletes refuel with lowfat chocolate milk.

"With so many athletes now choosing chocolate milk to rehydrate, replenish and rebuild their bodies after a tough workout, we're thrilled that we can recognize and reward local athletes by providing support to help them achieve their athletic goals," said Vivien Godfrey, CEO of the Milk Processor Education Program.

To learn more about the science behind the recovery benefits of chocolate milk, get tips from top athletes and trainers and view the Refuel Grant Official Application Guidelines, visit www.RefuelWithChocolateMilk.com.

About the Refuel With Chocolate Milk Campaign

The Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP), Washington, D.C., is funded by the nation's milk processors, who are committed to increasing fluid milk consumption. The National Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Board, through MilkPEP, runs the Refuel With Chocolate Milk Campaign, a multi-faceted campaign designed to educate consumers about the post-exercise recovery benefits of milk.  For more information, go to www.refuelwithchocolatemilk.com.

References

1. Ferguson-Stegall L, McCleave EL, Ding Z, Doerner PG, Wang B, Liao YH, Kammer L, Liu Y, Hwang J, Dessard BM, Ivy JL. Post exercise carbohydrate-protein supplementation improves subsequent exercise performance and intracellular signaling for protein synthesis. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2011;25:1210-1224.
2. Ferguson-Stegall L, McCleave EL, Ding Z, Doerner PG, Liu Y, Wang B, Dessard B, Kleinart M, Healy M, Lassiter G, Ivy JL. Aerobic exercise training adaptations are increased by post-exercise carbohydrate-protein supplementation [Abstract]. In: American College of Sports Medicine 58th Annual Meeting; 2011 May 31-Jun 4; Denver, CO. Poster nr D-29.
3. McCleave EL, Ferguson-Stegall L, Ding Z, Doerner PG, Liu Y, Kammer L, Wang B, Wang W, Hwang J, Ivy JL. Effects of aerobic training and nutritional supplementation on body composition, immune cells and inflammatory markers [Abstract]. IN: American College of Sports Medicine 58th Annual Meeting; 2011 May 31-Jun 4; Denver, CO. Poster nr C-24.

SOURCE MilkPEP