The Importance of Taking Care of Your Body After an Intense Workout

From lifting heavy at the gym to running a mile around your neighborhood, your body does a lot for you. This is why it’s essential to take care of it after intense exercise, especially if you want to make killer progress. To learn more about valuable post-workout care and why it’s crucial to your fitness, continue reading.

Your Muscles

To reduce muscle soreness and speed up your recovery time, massage your muscles immediately after a workout. Hot tub jets relieve back, neck, shoulder, and leg pain which can help ease any discomfort after an intense workout. Soaking in a hot bath with Epsom salts is also a great alternative to reduce your pain. Additionally, foam rolling, stretching, and yoga are all different ways you can give your muscles some love.

Calorie Intake

Properly nourish your body with the right kind of fuel. Carbs are necessary if you’re trying to build lean muscle mass as they prevent muscle loss and replenish your glycogen stores. Protein, on the other hand, is also significant since it repairs the microtears in the muscle fibers so they can grow bigger and stronger.

Make sure to consume a decent ratio of both macronutrients after a workout. For example, try a banana paired with a protein shake, or beans paired with a tortilla.You don’t want to eat too much protein either. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need one gram per pound of bodyweight to build muscle. Instead, try one gram per kilogram of body weight for the best results.

Hydrate and Sleep

Keep yourself hydrated and get an adequate amount of sleep every night. After all, our muscles repair themselves while we rest. So, if you’re skipping out on this area of your fitness, you could throw all of your hard work and progress away. The same goes for hydration. You lose a lot of water when you sweat, so remember to replenish those reserves during or after a workout. Drinking a good amount of water helps to protect your health in general as well as supporting your workout.

Taking care of your body after a workout is essential. No matter what your fitness goals are, nourish your body with the proper nutrition, tend to your muscles, rest, and hydrate. When you follow these tips, there’s no telling what you can accomplish.

For more post-workout advice, read on here!