Intense workouts are great for your physical and mental health. But they do place much stress on your body. Before hitting the gym for another session, it’s essential to rest and prepare your body for the next round. Here are a few ways you can help get your body ready.
Increase Water Intake
Staying hydrated during a workout is vital. It’s also important to continue to rehydrate following an intense run or weight session. About 60 percent of the adult body is water, making it the essential nutrient for maintaining good health. You need to replace what you lose while working out and increase it to reduce fluid retention, provide electrolyte balance, and relieve the stress on joints that decrease during intense exercise sessions.
Add More Casein Protein to Your Diet
Overall, protein is a vital part of recovery. The slow-digesting supplement aids the body in building and repairing tissues, such as muscles, which commonly tear during vigorous workouts. These micro-tears are common and won’t send you to the doctor. However, they will slow down your recovery and take away from your next fitness session.
There are different sources and types of protein supplements. To speed up the healing process, consider choosing Casein protein instead of whey. Although both come from milk, the casein-derived option digests much slower than whey. Additionally, there’s much more of this protein in dairy than whey. The more delayed digestion feeds the body’s cells at a low level for a longer period than other protein sources.
Stretch More
Stretch your muscles with a quick 10-minute cool down following your workout. Yes, after a long, hard session, chances are you don’t want to work another 10-minutes. But, stretching after can help with blood flood and improve your flexibility and overall mobility. Hold each stress for 30 seconds. These simple exercises shouldn’t be tiring or cause pain.
Get a Full Nights’ Sleep
Resting isn’t overrated. Instead, it’s often underrated. Your body recuperates while you sleep. While how much is necessary varies from person-to-person, most adults need between seven to nine hours nightly. Not only will you recover slowly with less sleep, but it also reduces reaction time and energy. In addition, sleeping too little can weaken the immune system, making easier to get sick.
Make an Appointment for a Massage
Be nice to your body. After working muscles and joints and taking them to their max, treat them to a 20-, 30-, or 60-minute session with your favorite local masseuse. These simple but productive techniques help reduce muscle and joint inflammation caused by strenuous exercise. Additionally, a massage can relieve overall stress and help you sleep better at night.
Increase the Probiotics
While protein is important, it’s not the only essential item to add to your diet. Probiotics help regulate your digestive system and promote positive gut health. The bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract play an important role in your overall health and influence athletic performance. Good bacteria may reduce damage to the muscles during intense periods of exercise and speed up your recovery. There are two ways to increase probiotics in your diet through nutritional means, such as eating more yogurt, kefir, tempeh, and sauerkraut or with supplements.
Don’t Skimp on Real Food
Supplements are great. They help you prepare for a long day, intense workouts and take you through recovery. But they are only for supplementing nutrition. It’s important to eat wholesome foods to fuel your muscles, heart, and overall health of your body and mind. Eating a healthy diet that includes items from the five main food groups is as important as your daily workout. Try for three meals daily and sure to include protein.
Do Skip the Nightcap
One thing you should skip is alcohol. Whether it’s an early afternoon drink or a few shots after dinner, beer, wine, and liquor can slow down your recovery. While a glass of wine from time to time is safe, try to reduce or eliminate it from your diet following intense weight training sessions or strenuous workouts. Researchers have found alcohol zaps away crucial nutrients necessary for muscle regeneration.
The key to a good recovery is treating your body well. Increase your water intake, use Casein protein supplements, stretch, and rest. Additionally, consider probiotics and lay off the alcohol.
