USA's Top Athletes Team Up to Refuel America

NEW YORK, Aug. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- One is known for icing the competition – the other heats up the basketball court.  Although they're from completely different ends of the sporting spectrum, there's one thing these world-class athletes both agree on, lowfat chocolate milk is a "natural" at helping them refuel and replenish their bodies after strenuous exercise.  

Eight-time speed skating medalist Apolo Anton Ohno and USA Basketball Men's National Team member Chris Bosh are the latest celebrities to don a Milk Mustache and join some of America's most-loved and top-performing athletes to announce a new campaign highlighting the importance of the two-hour recovery window after they have left the court, training and locker rooms. The "Refuel America" program aims to educate Americans that no matter what sport they play, lowfat chocolate milk is an easy, effective and cost-efficient way to refuel the body after a tough workout.

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."

Joined by fellow Milk Mustache athletes and refuel with chocolate milk proponents, including gold medalist Shawn Johnson, USA Basketball star Chauncey Billups and WNBA star Crystal Langhorne, Ohno and Bosh today unveiled their Milk Mustache ads and the new Refuel America program. The campaign will reach Americans nationwide through a variety of initiatives throughout 2010 and 2011, including celebrity Milk Mustache print ads; television and online public service messages featuring athletes like Chris Bosh and Shawn Johnson; refueling athletes at sporting events around the country; a virtual personal training program for teens; and grants to schools.

Your Workout's Finished. Your Body Isn't.

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. (1-4)

Refuel with Chocolate Milk and Get Rewards

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.  

Schools: Rally for a Refuel Grant

The new program will provide school coaches with information and materials to help educate their teams about the benefits of post-exercise nutrition.  Coaches, teachers, students and parents can nominate secondary schools that refuel their athletes with chocolate milk for a chance to receive one of ten $1,000 Refuel Grants to help them further efforts to teach the benefits of exercise and nutrition.

To learn more about the Refuel America program and the science behind the recovery benefits of lowfat chocolate milk, log onto www.bodybymilk.com.

About the National Milk Mustache "got 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 National Milk Mustache "got milk?"® Campaign, a multi-faceted campaign designed to educate consumers about the health benefits of milk.  For more information, go to www.whymilk.com. Deutsch, A Lowe and Partners Company, is the creative agency for the National Milk Mustache "got milk?"® Campaign.

References

1. Lunn WR, Colletto MR, Karfonta KE, Anderson JM, Pasiakos SM, Ferrando AA, Wolfe RR, Rodriguez NR. Chocolate milk consumption following endurance exercise affects skeletal muscle protein fractional synthetic rate and intracellular signaling. Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise. 2010;42:S48.
2. Karfonta KE, Lunn WR, Colletto MR, Anderson JM, Rodriguez NR. Chocolate milk enhances glycogen replenishment after endurance exercise in moderately trained males. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2010;42:S64.
3. Colletto MR, Lunn W, Karfonta K, Anderson J, Rogriguez N. Effects of chocolate milk consumption on leucine kinetics during recovery from endurance exercise. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2010;42:S126.
4. Ferguson-Stegall L, McCleave E, Doerner PG, Ding Z, Dessard B, Kammer L, Wang B, Liu Y, Ivy J. Effects of chocolate milk supplementation on recovery from cycling exercise and subsequent time trial performance. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2010;42:S536.

SOURCE National Milk Mustache "got milk?"(R) Campaign