Working out is an excellent way to tone your body, trim excess fat, boost your mood, and better your body’s organ function. Those who are dedicated to their workout regimen know the importance of sweating it out in the gym or at home and maintaining healthy, post-workout habits designed to help your body make the most of exercise. Wondering what those are? Here are just 3 post-workout mistakes to always avoid.
You don’t cool down.
After an intense workout, the first thing you want to do is rest, right? Wrong. Performing a cool-down exercise, like moderate walking, is key to your body’s recovery. Your temperature rises and your blood vessels widen during physical activity, and your body needs the chance to get them back to normal. If you jump right in the shower or go on to your next activity, you’ll probably feel very light-headed or otherwise sick. A good rule of thumb is to wait until your heart rate goes down to 100 or lower before calling it quits on your workout.
You don’t stretch your muscles.
Stretching is key to preventing injury – not to mention, it feels great! But, far too many of us finish our workouts and skip overstretching, which is a big mistake. Stretching right after your workout is optimal because your muscles are already warm from the exercise and will be able to lengthen more, allowing you to build a better range of motion. Take a few minutes after your cool down to stretch your legs, torso, shoulders, and neck. Got a little more time? Go for a full-body stretch that will refresh you from tip to toe.
You wait too long before eating.
Muscle recovery is the name of the game after your workout – and that’s also why you should prioritize eating within two hours of exercising. Why? Well, carbohydrates replenish the stored energy your muscles used, and protein helps repair the small tears in your muscles that exercise creates. For an optimal post-workout meal, aim to consume 15 to 20 grams of protein. This rush of nutrients will help your body repair itself after an ab-busting workout while preventing further breakdown of the muscle tissue.
The one thing that you should never sacrifice is your health and well-being. Check out Avenue 80 Apartments in Overland Park, Kansas latest roster of recipes, recommendations, and more that can enhance your lifestyle and make you feel unstoppable!