After spending an hour at the gym working on all of your major muscle groups, the last thing you want to do is keep moving. But instead of going home and plopping down on your couch, the smart thing to do is to stay active. This may sound counterintuitive, but when you go from a one hour intense exercise back to your regular pace, you need to remember to allow your body to cool down at its own rate.
Stretching: Post every workout, spend the last five stretching and walking around. This will slow your heart rate down, getting it back to your normal resting rate. By letting your body adjust slowly in the last couple of minutes you will avoid harsh cramps, dizziness, and fatigue. After your cool down period, take a little time to stretch out your muscles. Try these popular stretches that target all of your major muscle groups: Forward Bend, Runner’s Lunge, Upward Dog, and Leg Bend Twist.
What to Eat & Drink: If you’re working out in an effort to lose weight it may seem silly to eat right after a workout. After all, wouldn’t you be putting back the calories you just burned? The good news is that if you choose to consume healthy calories like a super fruit smoothie or a protein packed honey snack you will actually be doing your body a favor by refueling with energy and much needed fluids. Drinking water during your workout is great, but it’s the water you drink after that really counts. If you worked out for a long period of time or tend to sweat a lot you’ll want to opt for fluids that do more than just rehydrate. Reach for an electrolyte infused coconut water, a sports drink or a delicious smoothie. Try this one for a yummy treat that’s super healthy for you!
Stay Active: While showering may seem like a commonplace practice after a workout, there’s more than just the cleanliness factor you’re benefiting from. By showering for at least 15 minutes after a strenuous workout you’ll really benefit from the warm water soothing your muscles. After enjoying a nice shower, remember to stay active after allowing yourself a small break. Keeping your body engaged is important instead of going straight back to a sedentary position. Your muscles may ache even more or start to cramp up if you go straight from working out to sitting down. If you are prone to muscle cramps eat a banana and drink a full glass of water to infuse your body with potassium which will ease cramps and the fluid will flush harmful toxins out.
Exercise is such an important part of living a healthy life, but we can’t forget about the essential cool down processes. A simple stretch, refuel and rest routine is easy to remember and implement without adding too many extra steps. It will benefit your workouts and help you meet your body goals!
Do you have a post-workout routine you want to share?
