When you dread working out, it is rarely because of the actual workout. Most times it’s how your body aches and is sore for days afterward. Most people that have trouble getting motivated to continue hit a roadblock after those initial workouts and pain.
To deal with this, it pays to have a post workout routine that will help speed up the recovery process so you don’t feel so bad and for so long. With the right system, you can feel better after your workout and keep up your active life and not get slowed down.
In this article, I will give you several ways that you can get back to normal after your heavy workout.
1 – Get some rest
Your body needs sleep to repair the damage done to your muscles even down to the cellular level when you worked out or played a sport. To help them regenerate, you need to get a good night’s sleep.
In fact, I would even go so far as to say that you should try to take a nap occasionally when it is possible to speed up the repairs to your muscles.
Some people work out in the afternoon or evening after work and because of the adrenaline it is difficult to get to sleep. The activity has you too wound up to get into sleep mode. You might want to try some sleep aids like CBD capsules or some essential oils.
This will help you get to sleep quickly and deeply so you can get the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep per night.
2 – Eat the right foods
Food is fuel that your body needs to be able to get through the workout so most people focus on their pre workout meal to help them be more productive.
Just as much thought needs to be put into what you eat after the workout to help your body repair itself. Protein is very important to help your muscles repair.
Instead of adding supplements to a shake, try eating some whole foods like boiled eggs, Greek yogurt, chicken or spinach. No, Popeye wasn’t using spinach as a gimmick! It has loads of protein and is a good choice for vegans or anybody else to eat after a workout.
3 – Do some gentle stretching
Once you finish your exercise, lactic acid will build up on your muscles. This is one of the reasons they burn so much the next day.
Stretching is a good way to get that acid dispersed and to also increase your blood circulation. Having the increase in oxygen to your muscles from fresh blood will also help to keep them from getting sore.
Make sure your stretches are gentle so you don’t end up exerting your muscles. Take about twenty minutes of simple stretching that are slow and easy to keep the blood flowing. Then get some rest and go on with your day so you can recover quickly.