Great! You’ve finished your workout! So now what? After all the hard work you put into your CardioCast workout, it’s important to remember to refuel and recharge your body.
Refuel
How you treat your recovery is arguably as important as the workout itself. Here are some ways to take care of your body and keep those gains coming:
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Hydrate We all know it’s important to hydrate during a workout, and feeling thirsty is a sign you’re really working hard! While working out there is water loss through sweating, so it’s critical to refill your body’s water supply. This will keep your metabolism up, your joints cushioned, and your body temperature regulated.
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Eat Protein Protein is a great choice for after a workout and helps your body rebuild muscle. Optimal protein consumption through eating or drinking should happen within 30 minutes of your workout. Try greek yogurt and berries or a few scrambled eggs with a slice of avocado.
Recover
Pushing your body to gain strength and build endurance is exhilarating, but it’s the recovery that really determines how well your body progresses.
- Stretch – We talk about stretching a lot at CardioCast! It is so important for your range of motion and supporting all the joints throughout your body. Daily stretching is known to improve and prevent back pain, manage stress, relieve achy muscles, and improve posture. Just 10 minutes a day to stretch can help your body work at its best. Check out our stretch suggestions for a few ideas.
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Catch Some Zzzzs – Not only does sleeping let your mind recharge after a long day, but it also helps your body recover after exercise. Sleeping is the easiest way to promote muscle recovery, so make sure that you get in a good night’s rest after a workout. Soft lighting, charging your phone in a different room, and a little lavender essential oil dotted on your pillow goes a long way for a peaceful slumber.
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Listen to What Your Body Needs – Lastly, it’s crucial to listen to your body. Overtraining or not getting enough nutrients can lead to your body breaking down. Try and check in with yourself once a day to see how you are feeling and what your body might need you to do.
Recovering and refueling are a huge part of fitness and performance gains. Now after you go crush your next workout, make sure to get in some recovery time! What are some of your refueling and recovering rituals you do after a tough workout? Share with us in the comments.
