Nutrition for Recovery: How to Beat Muscle Soreness After Skiing, Hiking & Trail Running in Vermont

You know the feeling. You had an incredible day — a full day of skiing on fresh snow, a long summit hike, or a hard trail run through the Vermont woods. You felt strong the whole time. You drove home satisfied.

Then you woke up the next morning and your legs had opinions about all of it

.

Delayed onset muscle soreness — DOMS — is one of the most universal experiences in outdoor sport. It typically shows up 24 to 48 hours after intense or unfamiliar physical effort, and it has a particular talent for arriving at the worst possible time: the morning of day two on a ski trip, the day after a race when you have to drive four hours home, or the week you finally committed to getting back in shape.

The good news is that what you eat before, during, and after hard efforts has a meaningful impact on how severe that soreness is, how quickly it resolves, and how well you perform the next time out. Nutrition does not eliminate DOMS entirely — some soreness after hard work is normal and even part of the adaptation process — but it can significantly shorten the window between wrecked and ready. Also, seasonal eating supports athletic recovery and is worth considering all year long.

Here is what the research says, translated into practical guidance for outdoor athletes in Vermont.

What Is Actually Happening During DOMS

DOMS is caused by microscopic damage to muscle fibers — particularly during eccentric contractions, where the muscle is lengthening while it is under load. Skiing is one of the most eccentric-dominant activities there is: every turn requires your quads to absorb force while lengthening to control the descent. Trail running downhill does the same thing to the quads, calves, and glutes. A long day of hiking with a loaded pack combines eccentric lower body demand with sustained postural load through the trunk and hips.

That microscopic damage triggers an inflammatory response — which is the actual source of the soreness, not the damage itself. The inflammation is productive; it signals the body to repair and rebuild stronger. The goal of recovery nutrition is not to suppress that process entirely but to give your body the raw materials to run it efficiently and resolve it quickly.

The Six Nutritional Pillars of DOMS Recovery

1. Protein — The Raw Material for Muscle Repair

Protein is where muscle repair starts. The amino acids from dietary protein are the building blocks your body uses to rebuild the muscle fibers damaged during hard activity. Without adequate protein in the hours following intense effort, the repair process slows — and so does recovery.

For outdoor athletes, aim to consume a quality protein source within 30 to 60 minutes of finishing a hard effort, and again at your next full meal. Good sources include lean meats, eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, fish, and plant-based options like legumes, tofu, and edamame.

Quantity matters too. General guidelines suggest 0.7–1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight per day for active adults, with the higher end of that range appropriate on hard training or activity days. Most people fall short of this without paying attention to it.

For a practical Vermont example: a post-ski-day snack of Greek yogurt with berries, or eggs on toast after a summit hike, gets protein into your system at exactly the right time.

2. Carbohydrates — Restoring What You Burned

A full day of skiing, a long trail run, or a hard hike depletes your muscles' glycogen stores — the stored carbohydrate your body uses as its primary fuel source during sustained effort. Arriving at the next day's activity with depleted glycogen means starting at a disadvantage before you even begin.

Carbohydrates consumed in the post-activity window replenish those stores and also support the protein synthesis process — the two work better together than either does alone. Prioritize complex carbohydrates that provide sustained energy rather than a quick spike: whole grains, root vegetables, fruits, and legumes are all excellent choices.

Pairing protein and carbohydrates in your recovery meal or snack — rather than eating them separately — is one of the most evidence-supported practices in sports nutrition. A simple example: a smoothie with protein powder, banana, and oats. Rice with grilled salmon and roasted vegetables. Peanut butter on whole grain toast with a glass of milk.

3. Antioxidants — Reducing Oxidative Stress

Intense physical activity generates oxidative stress — a byproduct of the high metabolic rate required to fuel hard effort. Free radicals produced during that process contribute to inflammation and tissue damage. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals and help the body manage that inflammatory response more efficiently.

Foods rich in antioxidants include berries (blueberries, tart cherries, and strawberries are particularly well-studied in the context of exercise recovery), dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds, and brightly colored vegetables. Tart cherry juice specifically has meaningful research support for reducing DOMS severity and duration in athletes — worth keeping on hand during a ski trip or a heavy training block.

Vermont's farm stands and markets make this easy in summer and fall. In winter, frozen berries retain their antioxidant content well and are a practical year-round option.

4. Omega-3 Fatty Acids — Targeted Anti-Inflammatory Support

Omega-3 fatty acids have well-documented anti-inflammatory effects that are directly relevant to DOMS and recovery. They help modulate the inflammatory response following muscle damage — not by eliminating inflammation, but by helping it resolve more efficiently and completely.

Fatty fish are the most bioavailable source: salmon, mackerel, sardines, and herring are all excellent options. Plant-based sources include flaxseeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and walnuts. If fish is not a regular part of your diet, a high-quality fish oil supplement is a practical alternative.

For athletes doing back-to-back hard days — a ski trip, a race weekend, or a week of heavy training — consistent omega-3 intake throughout the week matters more than a single large dose the day after.

5. Hydration — The Factor Most Athletes Underestimate in Cold Weather

Hydration is consistently underestimated by winter outdoor athletes. Cold air is dry, and breathing hard in cold conditions means losing significant moisture through respiration — without the visible sweat cue that reminds warm-weather athletes to drink. Add the diuretic effect of cold itself, and it is easy to end a full ski day more dehydrated than you realize.

Dehydration directly impairs muscle function and recovery. It reduces blood volume, which slows the delivery of nutrients to working tissues and the clearance of metabolic waste products. It also increases perceived soreness and fatigue.

Aim to drink consistently throughout the day — before thirst tells you to — and pay particular attention to rehydrating in the first hour after activity. Water is sufficient for most efforts under 90 minutes. For longer days, electrolyte-containing beverages or foods become more important.

For more on hydration strategies for outdoor athletes, check out our post on staying hydrated on the mountain.

6. Electrolytes — More Important Than Most People Think

Electrolytes — sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium — regulate fluid balance, support muscle contraction, and maintain nerve function. They are lost through sweat during activity, including in cold environments where sweat is less obvious.

Low electrolyte levels contribute to muscle cramping, fatigue, and impaired recovery. Foods naturally rich in electrolytes include bananas, avocados, sweet potatoes, leafy greens, dairy products, and coconut water. On particularly long or hard effort days, a sports drink or electrolyte supplement alongside water helps restore balance more quickly than water alone.

Practical Nutrition Timing for Outdoor Athletes

Getting the right nutrients is important — getting them at the right time amplifies their effect significantly.

Before activity: A balanced meal 2–3 hours before a hard effort — including protein, complex carbohydrates, and a moderate amount of healthy fat — sets you up to perform well and reduces the severity of post-activity soreness. On early start days, even a simple snack of a banana with nut butter 30–60 minutes before heading out is better than nothing.

During activity: For efforts over 90 minutes, consuming easily digestible carbohydrates during activity — gels, chews, sports drinks, or whole food options like dates or bananas — helps maintain glycogen levels and reduces the depth of depletion you are recovering from afterward.

After activity: The 30–60 minute window immediately following intense effort is when your muscles are most receptive to nutrients. A protein and carbohydrate combination during this window — even a simple snack if a full meal is not immediately available — meaningfully accelerates the recovery process compared to waiting until you are home and hungry.

Daily baseline: Recovery nutrition is not just about what you eat around activity. A consistently balanced daily diet — adequate protein, whole food carbohydrates, healthy fats, and plenty of vegetables — creates the foundation that makes acute recovery nutrition more effective.

Winter athletes: Fueling for skiing, snowboarding, and mountain adventures in winter takes even more special consideration. Don't lose out on the benefits of good nutrition.

A Note on Author and Expertise

This post was developed with input from a member of our team with a background in dietetics. For individualized nutrition guidance — particularly around performance goals, specific dietary needs, or health conditions — we recommend working with a registered dietitian alongside your physical therapy or performance training program.

Getting Back Out There — Recovery Support in Williston, VT

At Snow Beast Performance in Williston, Vermont, recovery is a core part of how we work with outdoor athletes. Whether you are dealing with DOMS after a hard week on the mountain, managing a nagging injury, or building toward a big season goal, our physical therapy and performance training services address the full picture — movement, load, and the lifestyle factors that determine how well you bounce back.

Every new client starts with a free 15-minute discovery call. If soreness and slow recovery are limiting how much you can do and how often you can do it, that is a great place to start the conversation.

FAQ: Nutrition and DOMS for Outdoor Athletes

How long does DOMS typically last? DOMS generally peaks between 24 and 72 hours after intense activity and resolves within 3 to 5 days in most cases. Severity varies based on how hard the effort was, how familiar your muscles are with that type of activity, and how well you support recovery through nutrition, hydration, and sleep. Consistent training reduces DOMS over time as your muscles adapt to the demands you place on them.

Does protein timing really matter or is total daily intake more important? Both matter, but total daily intake is the more important variable. If you are consistently meeting your daily protein needs, the timing of individual doses has a smaller marginal effect. That said, consuming protein within 30 to 60 minutes of finishing a hard session does provide a meaningful benefit — particularly for athletes doing back-to-back hard days where recovery windows are short.

Are there specific foods that are particularly good for reducing DOMS? Tart cherry juice has the strongest research support specifically for DOMS reduction, with multiple studies showing reduced soreness and faster recovery in athletes who consumed it before and after hard efforts. Fatty fish for omega-3s, berries and leafy greens for antioxidants, and protein-rich whole foods are all well-supported choices. No single food is a magic solution — the overall dietary pattern matters more than any individual item.

Should I take anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen for DOMS? This is worth discussing with your healthcare provider, but the general guidance in sports medicine has shifted away from routine NSAID use for DOMS. While NSAIDs reduce inflammation and soreness in the short term, the inflammatory response is part of the adaptation process — and there is evidence that suppressing it consistently may blunt some of the training adaptations you are working toward. Nutrition-based strategies that support the process rather than suppress it are generally preferred for routine DOMS management.

How does nutrition for DOMS differ between ski season and summer outdoor activities? The core principles are the same — protein, carbohydrates, antioxidants, omega-3s, hydration, and electrolytes all matter year-round. The practical differences are in hydration awareness (easier to underestimate in cold weather) and food availability. Vermont summers offer exceptional access to fresh, nutrient-dense local produce that supports recovery particularly well. In winter, prioritizing warming, protein-rich meals and maintaining consistent hydration despite cold conditions are the key practical adjustments.

Written by Stephen Burkert, DPT — Snow Beast Performance, Williston, VT With contributions from Ashleigh Angle, Registered Dietitian