When it comes to working out, it is important to come up with an exercise plan and do the right thing not only before but also after your visit to the gym.
Neglecting the simple rules can drastically mitigate the training results.
It would be horrible to put so much effort into the routine and spoil it the same evening.
To make sure you are not wasting your time on fitness, avoid doing the following things.
1. Leaving the gym straight away
The thing your body needs after a jog or some other physical activity is relaxing. It wouldn’t be wise of you to leave the gym without cooling down.
This way you will help your body to come back to normal after the exhausting exercise session.
Your blood pressure will stabilize just as your heart rate as soon as you spend 5-10 minutes walking. It is an easy and essential step that will save you from venous pooling.
You also need to release the tension before walking out of the building, so don’t skip this part.
2. Neglecting the stretch
Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is what you get when you start a new exercise program or change your exercise plan.
If you want to ease the tension in your muscles, the best thing you can do is dedicate another 10 minutes to stretching.
Your muscles will get less prone to injury. While you are stretching keep in mind that it’s essential to tell discomfort from pain.
The stretching will not only help you prevent muscle contractions but also you will relax and get the feeling of satisfaction for the rest of the day.
Practicing diaphragmatic breathing during the stretch might enhance the effect.
3. Getting a sports drink
These drinks are not the best option for you after working out.
They contain much more calories and sugar than you need after an average training.
You are thirsty and it’s completely normal, but to do your body a favor stick to water.
Sports drinks contain 300-400 calories, huge amounts of sugar, artificial sweeteners and even high-fructose corn syrup that might spoil the effect of your training session.
After having a rapid growth of energy, you will feel exhaustion as your glands try to balance out the toxic stimulation to your blood sugar.
If you want to find an alternative to good old water, try switching to coconut water.
4. Avoiding the best post workout drink, Water
There is nothing more important than staying hydrated and drinking enough water after sweating so much.
It is advisable to consume 750-800ml. (3-4 glasses) of water within 2 hours of the working out session since you’ll sweat 1-4% of your body weight every hour of intense workout.
It’s worth mentioning that you should give preference to water and avoid consuming fizzy drinks, coffee or anything else.
Consuming liquid is a must to prevent dehydration and dizziness after your intense training session.
5. Not taking a shower
There are many reasons for taking a shower after finishing the routine, and here are some of them.
While exercising people sweat a lot and the shower helps to prevent infections and acne as a result of keeping the sweaty clothes on.
Perspiration left on the skin after the training allows bacteria to proliferate, and that can lead to rashes and breakouts.
Apart from that, a shower helps the body relax and cool down just like walking and stretching.
Dry clean clothes and baby powder can absorb any residual moisture on your skin as well.
6. Postponing the post workout meal
People hardly pay attention to what to eat after working out. But, that is as important as the workout itself.
Whether you’re into running, rock climbing, yoga or weights, you know the feeling of hunger that comes after the activity. Fluid and carbohydrates are some of the good things our body needs after a session.
Some people think that eating after the gym is why they might gain weight, but that is not the case. The food you’ll eat after working out won’t cancel the calories that you just burned.
The body burns fat for energy for the training so eating will help you to refuel.
The key is to get fluid and carbs within 30 minutes of exercising. That’s when our body needs them most. It is vital to eat food that contains the right amount of protein, fibers, and carbs.
Of course, it depends on your body type and training purpose, so make sure you know what meals are the best for you before you work out.
Remember that you need to gain the lost calories to get the energy for the day.
7. Eating unhealthy food
Nothing spoils your efforts as much as the wrong food. As mentioned above, a healthy diet is important but there are several types of foods which do more harm than good.
And to get the most of your gym workouts: First of all, avoid eating fast foods. Such things as Big Macs, nachos, and hot dogs will slow down the digestion process and add fat to your body which is not what you want to achieve spending hours in the gym.
Salty foods and sugary products are also far from the perfect meal since they slow down metabolism.
Of course, the list of products that are not good for you can be rather long, and usually, it includes candies, pastries, and fast foods.
Instead, switch to the food that contains plenty of fiber and protein, as well as vitamins and minerals to help your body refuel.
8. Staying up late
Lack of sleep can cause irreparable damages to your training sessions since the amount of sleep you have every day influences the level of cortisol.
Apart from that, the muscle production will be slowed down since without sleeping enough your body won’t produce enough growth hormones.
More importantly, you’ll need to make up for the energy you spent in the gym.
To be alert and productive the next morning you need to take care of your schedule and make sure the healthy sleep is on it.
If you can’t get enough sleep, do your best to cut down physically strenuous activity after working out.
Conclusion
So, as you can see, to make your efforts worth it, you should plan your workouts in advance and come up with a schedule of training sessions and what comes after them.
This way you’ll improve your looks and will be able to stay healthy and content.
Keep in mind that everyone should stick to an individual training schedule, and since not everyone is proficient in the field, it is advisable to consult your healthcare provider or a professional coach to adjust the above tips to your needs.