Do you feel like you’re stuck in a rut fitness-wise? You got into a great routine where you’re working out 3-5 times a week. Some of those days involve a bit of weight training; others might be cardio-based. You’ve got specific goals – like getting stronger or shedding body fat – but you’re not progressing anymore.
This happens a lot as you become more versed in working out and staying fit. The initial jump to a new fitness routine shows lots of fast progress. People call these “newbie gains,” and it’s because you’re doing something your body isn’t used to. After a few months (or years), progress starts slowing down, even if you’re doing the right things.
You hit a wall – but why does this happen? If you’re testing your limits in every fitness training session, and you’re eating well, then one thing is likely holding you back: recovery. Too many people don’t realize the importance of a good recovery routine to boost fitness gains and reach goals. Don’t worry; this post will reveal all the best recovery secrets so you can finally break through your fitness progress wall!
Why Recovery Is Important For Fitness Gains
When you do any type of fitness activity, your muscles experience micro-tears. It’s completely normal, and this is how you start seeing gains. Your muscles basically break down slightly due to the excessive force, and then they build themselves back stronger than before. Think of it as your body adapting to your workouts and realizing it needs to be even stronger.
That’s how you can lift heavier weights or run longer distances the week after a workout.
Recovery is important because your muscles heal and grow when you rest. Your body devotes lots of energy to doing this, which is why the bulk of it happens while you’re asleep. Improper recovery means you don’t give your muscles the right time or fuel to grow back bigger and stronger. That’s why you’re struggling to see fitness gains – and it also explains why you’re sore for multiple days after working out.
How To Improve Your Fitness Recovery Process
Here’s the thing: fitness recovery doesn’t have to be difficult!
You’ll improve your recovery process by following these simple steps:
- Ensure You Get Enough Sleep
- Get Lots Of Protein In Your Diet
- Stay Hydrated After Working Out
- Increase Blood Flow To Your Muscles
Ensure You Get Enough Sleep
A good night’s sleep is the ultimate tonic to most of life’s problems, especially in the fitness realm. If you’re not sleeping well after workouts, then you’ll never see the results. You need to give your body those precious hours it needs to build back up and recover. Regardless of whether you’re doing pilates, cycling, running, or lifting weights, make sure you get enough sleep!
Try your absolute best to set a bedtime routine so you know you’re getting between 7-9 hours of quality sleep a night. If you struggle to sleep, consider sleeping aids or premium CBD tinctures to help you relax and drift off. CBD is such a popular sleep supplement these days because it encourages your body to slowly shut down and sleep a lot deeper. You’ll notice the results the next morning as you feel more fresh!
Get Lots Of Protein In Your Diet
Remember to fuel your body after working out and exercising. Protein is the number one thing to focus on here – it’s what your muscles use to repair and recover. It’s almost guaranteed that people who struggle to hit their fitness goals aren’t getting enough protein, particularly if everything else is in check.
Try to get as much protein into your meals as possible, but don’t be afraid to pick up some fitness supplements as well. Protein powder works wonders; it’s easy to use and can add 20-30g of protein per serving. The amount of protein you need tends to depend on your body weight, though most experts recommend between 1.2-2g of protein per kg of body weight.
Stay Hydrated After Working Out
Don’t forget about hydration! Your body runs on water and good hydration levels are essential to help flush lactic acid from your muscles. For context, lactic acid is the stuff that builds as you work out and makes you feel stiff and sore. Getting rid of it will help your muscles recover faster and more efficiently.
Always drink while you’re working out – and be sure to get plenty of water and electrolytes in if you sweat a lot. You’ll feel way more fatigued if you’re not hydrating properly after fitness sessions. Hydration is the easiest way to see recovery improvements, yet this also makes it the easiest thing to neglect!
Increase Blood Flow To Your Muscles
You want to get as much blood flowing to your muscles as possible after working out. Those of you who enjoy running will mainly need to focus on your legs. If you’re lifting weights, then target the specific muscle groups you trained during your session.
Increasing blood flow helps to flush your muscles full of important nutrients to aid in recovery. It gets protein and amino acids to the muscles faster and can help to prevent extreme muscle soreness. There are many ways to do this, but the simplest is to provide self-massages. Do this using your hands, get a vibrating massage device, or use a foam roller.
It doesn’t matter how you do it; just focus on massaging the muscles to draw blood to the area. You may notice the area gets red, and that’s great! It means blood is going there and working its magic. This is also a fantastic way to relax after working out – you’ll feel way better the morning after.
Whatever fitness goals you have in mind, it’s always harder to achieve them when you’re not recovering properly. Of course, focus on making your workouts more challenging and eating healthily to move towards your goals. But be sure to prioritize recovery alongside these things. It’s probably what’s holding you back, so try a new recovery routine and see the gains!
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