Post Workout Tips

1. RECOVERY IS NOT ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL

Your buddy from yoga is going for round two the next day, but you can’t think about another downward dog? Perfectly normal. “If you are deconditioned or new to a fitness regimen, even low impact activity may be highly taxing on your system, and you may need to take breaks,”. So while another workout may be out of the question, consider a slow jog, walk, Piyo, yoga, or, heck, don’t do anything. Completed a tough race or marathon? You’re entitled to a few more days of recovery, which will help repair muscle tissue and joints.

2. YOU CAN STILL MOVE ON YOUR DAYS OFF

If you’re feeling pretty good the day after a hard workout, you don’t have to sit on the couch. On your off days, it is great to add active recovery. Doing light exercise such as yoga or a 30 minute low impact program, will help increase circulation, moving fibers and tissue so they are hydrated and heal quicker. Movement and circulation also drive nutrients into your muscles, accelerating the recovery process. She suggests doing an activity that uses different movements and targets different areas of the body. So if you’re addicted to spinning, try Pilates or Aqua Zumba on those off days. Lighter training days where you change your training activity will help you recover from particular movement patterns and avoid physical overuse injuries.

3. WHAT YOU EAT MATTERS, TOO

Paying attention to what you eat before and after you work out is important too. Your workout snack may differ depending on what you’re doing, but grabbing something rich in carbohydrates and protein is generally a good rule of thumb — think an apple with nut butter or a whole wheat English muffin with turkey. Got results and recovery? BEST POST WORKOUT EVER. Next to Shakeology of course ;) Remember, 80% of results come from EATS.

4. SLEEP IS (ALMOST) EVERYTHING

Getting sufficient shut-eye can also help with workouts. Research has shown that exercise can improve sleep quality, but there’s also the inverse relationship to consider: sleep improves exercise. Sleep is one of the most critical energy balancers. If you’re in zombie mode after a night partying or tossing and turning, your fitness performance can suffer. Something as simple as crunches can seem like a struggle, or your regular 2-mile run might suddenly feel taxing. Think of sleep as a system reboot that will get you into gear for your next workout, physically and mentally.