5 Good Habits To Follow After The Gym
It is considered a necessity for one to be regular with their fitness regime. Although you may be pumping iron, lifting heavy and exercising to the brim in the gym, it may not be enough.
It is true that going to the gym is a major aspect of being in the shape you aim to achieve but what you do post workout can have a major impact on your health.
You need to back the exercises up with certain habits for the results to show profusely. Doing these shall help you enhance your gains and make you fitter than ever before.
Hence, this article is intended to provide you with some good habits you can follow after your daily gym schedule in order to achieve optimum fitness all round.
1. Stay Hydrated
Although it may be tempting to drink sugary drinks and foods after your workout session in the gym, you should absolutely avoid these. You should instead indulge in a good amount of consumption of water.
Even the energy drinks that are becoming famous nowadays cannot provide you with the same benefits as the drinking of water does.
Not only does water aid digestion, transport nutrients and removes fatigue but also helps in the rejuvenation of cells of the body.
Drinking water post workout enhances the energy levels, normalize the blood pressure, thereby facilitating good performance throughout the day.
You can also indulge in coconut water after your workout, which is also one of the natural ways to whiten your teeth.
It also ensures you inculcate electrolytes and get your essential dosage of potassium and sodium after a rigorous workout in the gym.
Although water remains the first choice for hydrations post workout, it may not be enough to provide you with the lost glycogen.
Working out in the gym has an impact on our glycogen reserves, depleting it vigorously. In order to replenish it, there is a range of drinks you can indulge in. Studies claim that chocolate milk helps you achieve a good recovery.
Its high carbohydrates content treats the muscle cramps and fatigue with effectiveness. Another one would be peach ice tea. Not only does it detoxify the body but increases the strength and endurance of the muscles.
2. Skin Care
Working out in the gym and sweating can be a great way to remove the toxins from the body. This facilitates the process of the cleansing of the skin.
The complexion becomes clearer and the pores of the skin breathe well.
Besides the natural benefits, there are some tips you must inculcate post-workout for a healthier skin. Avoid touching your face while in the gym and even afterward. The harmful bacterias present on the gym equipment and machines can prove to be detrimental.
Be gentle with your skin and resist the urge to exfoliate right after working out. Over-exfoliation can also be a cause for the dehydration of the skin. Take a quick shower instead and change your clothes if possible for maintaining its health.
A range of skin care products has also come to the fore nowadays. They get absorbed by the skin, stimulate the collagens and smoothen up the surface. You can opt for the organic ones on your body to ensure a healthy and nourished skin.
The health benefits of African Black Soap has made it a popular option in organic skincare. Apart from this, use of pure essential oil is also known to keep the skin radiant after you work hard at the gym and embrace cleanliness for glowing skin.
3. Take up Supplements
Healthy supplements in right amounts can prove to a major booster for muscle recovery and growth.
They aid the body in increasing the muscle protein synthesis, provide the body with amino acids, and rebuild the muscle tissues efficaciously. A study proves that an abundant intake of proteins can replenish the muscles and ensure optimum fitness.
Some supplements work in enhancing the muscle definition. They encourage the body to get in shape and look aesthetic, besides adding great strength.
Whey protein, casein, BCAA’s, and creatine are the supplements that kick-start the whole recovery process. Consuming whey protein on a daily basis not only increases the muscle mass but also doubles up the pace of desired results.
Moreover, they are available in an array of flavor options. Besides that, glutamine, beta-alanine, and multivitamins can also prove to be building blocks for muscles in the body.
4. Get Ample Rest
Muscles take a lot of stress and strain while you lift heavy equipment and sweat out in the gym. It has an impact on your overall body including the digestive, skeletal, endocrine as well as the respiratory system.
Thus, a proper rest is required not only to recover but also to rejuvenate itself effectively. Rest time helps your body in repairing of the tissues and allows your body to rebuild the robustness of your muscles, nerves, and bones.
According to a study, the appropriate amount of rest plays as much a pivotal role in gaining strength as the working out. Hence, take at least 2-3 rest days in a week to recuperate the body.
Since performing strength training and resistance training can break down your muscles, sleeping well can convert your microscopic tears and recuperate them well. Make sure you get a good amount of zzz’s every day.
An uninterrupted sleep time of 7-8 hours is considered to be ideal for the body to rest overnight. This shall go a long way in replenishing your energy stores and invigorating your body.
5. Aim for Nutrition
What we eat after a workout session is as important as the workout itself. After you are done with the workout session at the gym, your body suffers from a depleted reserve of essential nutrients.
The glycogen levels in the body go for a toss after you exercise intensely. The muscles also lose some of the proteins and suffer a breakdown. Thus, certain nutrients such as the carbohydrates, proteins, and fats provide stability to the muscle fibers after the gym.
These nutrients help you decrease the muscle protein breakdown, spur the growth of muscles and invigorate the process of recovery.
Choosing to eat a nutritious meal is of an utmost necessity. Indulge in a healthy diet that includes foods such as sweet potatoes, quinoa, pasta and oatmeal for a healthy dose of essential carbs. For proteins, consume foods such as eggs, tuna, salmon, and chicken.
While fats may slow down the digestion, foods such as avocados, nuts, and nut butter help in the stimulation of the muscle building. To make the most out of the post-workout meal, consume these foods within the span of one hour of the workout.
This shall go a long way in ensuring muscle synthesis and growth.
According to a study, inculcating all these nutrients in your diet shall aid in maintaining your strength and keeping the muscles intact.
Going to the gym may be a necessity to attain fitness and stay healthy. However, following these habits after your workout session shall provide you with the platform to quicken the results you have been aiming to achieve.
These shall thus enable you to keep your body healthier and fitter in the long run.