Help Your Muscles Heal With These Post Workout Recovery Tips

If you’ve been working out a lot at the gym, chances are your muscles are starting to feel that way. But getting closer to your goals means giving your muscles time to recover, too. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to give your aching limbs a break.

It is important to give your muscles time to rest and recover after a challenging workout. If you don’t, you risk injury. These seven tips will help you give your sore muscles a much-needed break.

Why is recovery important?

The time and effort you put into sweating it out in the gym is essential to reaching your fitness goals. However, there is an often overlooked part of the equation called recovery.

Recently, experts have found that your post-workout recovery is just as, or possibly even more critical than the time you spend training. This is because, after exercising, muscles need time to repair and strengthen, which is essential for high-quality performance.

So if you feel guilty about taking a day off, think again! If anything, you’re promoting healthier muscles and better performance. Post-workout recovery starts with a few basics, like eating a healthy diet, staying hydrated, and getting a good night’s sleep. Fortunately, there are some accessories that will help you achieve all of the above.

Keep hydrated

You probably already know how vital drinking water is to your body, and it’s especially important when you’re exercising. You should aim to drink about 15 to 20 ounces of water a couple of hours before your workout and about eight every 15 minutes during your workout to avoid dehydration.

Sweating is your body’s natural way of getting rid of heat and maintaining your temperature. Drinking water helps replace fluids lost through sweating, which is essential for maintaining normal bodily function and performance.

Of course, remembering to drink all that water can be a challenge for many. That’s why having a motivational water bottle is an effective reminder to keep drinking.

Eat well-balanced meals

Eating a well-balanced diet full of nutritious, whole foods is incredibly important, especially if you exercise. This is because most processed foods do not provide the same (if any) quality of nutrition as fruits and vegetables, which can lead to certain deficiencies.

Deficiencies in minerals, vitamins, and macronutrients (such as protein) make healing difficult, so the choices you make during recovery must be carefully considered.

To avoid this, be sure to eat plenty of healthy fruits, vegetables, and protein sources. Also, try to minimize your intake of highly processed foods as much as possible. One way to eat healthier is to cook and prepare your own meals and snacks as much as possible.

If you stock your fridge with plenty of healthy foods, you won’t have cravings for fast food and takeout when you’re on the go. These food containers are ideal for packing a healthy lunch or storing leftovers.

get enough rest

Getting enough sleep is also necessary to give your muscles enough time to recover after exercise. Unfortunately, most of us are so busy that going to bed at a decent hour can seem impossible.

However, there are many things you can do, big and small, to improve the quality of your sleep, as well as your routine. You can also try some breathing tricks to help relieve stress or adjust the temperature of your nightly shower.

If blocking out light is your biggest problem, a comfortable eye mask could help you catch some Z’s. This option from MZOO is particularly good for daytime naps and nighttime naps.

take time to stretch

Cooling down and stretching after exercise is essential to prevent muscle soreness. This will not only help relieve muscle tension, but also improve your flexibility and range of motion.

No matter what type of training you do, there are stretches that can help. Post this laminated poster in your home gym to help you remember. It features 20 different stretches that even those with limited flexibility can do with the included nylon strap.

Consider the supplements

Protein is vital when it comes to helping muscles recover from exercise, and sometimes a well-balanced diet just isn’t enough. Many protein powders, including whey and plant-based, are popular because they contain a large amount of essential amino acids that can repair and rebuild muscle.

Garden of Life Organic Whey Protein Powder can help you with recovery and muscle growth. It even comes in different flavors, including the delicious Chocolate Peanut Butter.

Get a massage or use a foam roller

It is not uncommon for athletes to incorporate massage into their training routine as it helps reduce muscle soreness. Massage helps with late onset muscle soreness, which is pain you start to feel after a workout.

For best results, you should wait at least 48 hours before receiving a massage. If you prefer to reduce pain at home, consider using a foam roller immediately after your workout. The Gimme 10 Roller is perfect for athletes, runners, or anyone who dances, does yoga, or Pilates.

Take an Epsom salt bath

Soaking in Epsom salts will have a serious relaxing effect on both your body and mind. While there isn’t much scientific evidence to support that magnesium and sulfates can reduce muscle soreness when absorbed through the skin, there are a few other things they will do.

Epsom salt is known to help relieve constipation and soften skin and hair. To use it, simply add the salt to a very warm (but not too hot) bath. The temperature alone will help soothe those cold, sore muscles. The calming properties of Dr. Teal’s Eucalptus & Spearmint or Lavender before bed will also help you rest easy at night.

Proper muscle recovery is an essential part of a healthy exercise routine. Try some of these tips whenever your muscles are. Whether it’s foam rolling or a nice long soak in Epsom salts, you’ll soon discover which method works best for you.