The major distinction between a world class fitness athlete and an average one is the post Workout recovery process. The top fitness athletes comprehend how important recovery is. What you eat and drink after your workout plays a key part in your muscle growth. To get the utmost benefit from your workout, today the workout magazine presents the major rules and tips which will enhance your recovery process:

Post workout meal Guide

1.Eat within 30-60 minutes after your workout

After a strenuous workout your muscles and body utilizes whole lot of nutrients. Post workout meal is all about providing body with all the nutrients lost during your workout session.

If you don’t have a healthy post workout meal, right after your workout you won’t be able to recover from your intense workout. Your muscles and body will be nutrient depleted and it will leave you weaker as you head to your next workout which can lead to injury.

In fact, if you want to build strength endurance and lean muscle tissue it is very important that you provide your body with a healthy post workout meal right after your training.

2.Provide all macronutrient to your body post workout

Protein is very important to build muscles but after an intense workout your body require all the major macro nutrient to support recovery. Post workout meal not only should be rich in protein but it should have a good ratio of simple carbs and good fats. Good fat is important to heal your muscles and joint, where as simple carbs speeds up the recovery process and provide muscles with the glycogen lost during the workout. Use this post workout protein shake which can help you speed up your recovery process:

2 scoops whey protein (Flavor of your Choice: Vanilla or chocolate recommended)

1-1/2 cups skim milk

2 Tbsp dry oatmeal

1/2 cup raisins

10 almonds

1 tbsp peanut butter

Blend them together and pop one fish oil supplement to speed up your recovery process.

After the post workout shake you can add healthy sources of starch such as quinoa, sweet potato, or beans in your diet. All these foods help in replenishing the nutrients lost and fuel energy for your post workout metabolism. You can also add an omelet made with one whole egg and three egg whites, paired with veggies, avocado, and beans to make it more nutrient rich.

3. Rehydrate

It is very important that you hydrate yourself properly during and post your workout. If you are exercising in humid and hotter climate or your workout last longer than an hour it is important that you hydrate yourself with some energy or sports drink. During intense workout your body lose sodium and potassium, such energy drinks have ample of such nutrients to replace the lost nutrients. If you are not working out in humid conditions and you are not very sweaty then plain water is fine. To support your recovery process keep yourself super hydrated throughout the day. Aim for two cups of water for every pound of bodyweight lost. Keep an eye on color of your urine; it should be pale which shows that you are well hydrated.

Use Active Recovery

After working out don’t be lethargic. We know that after a high intensity workout you might feel tired and fatigued. But just sitting on the couch won’t help in your post workout recovery. If you are having sore muscles and joint, staying active can help relieving the pain.

On the days of high intensity workout give active recovery a try. Do light cardio after a strenuous workout; light cardio stimulates a better blood flow to your muscles which help in reducing muscle soreness.

Several researches found out that active recovery also helps in removing of lactic acid, which causes muscle soreness. So, next times after a brutal workout don’t be a couch potato. Instead try light walk, bike ride, swimming or yoga session during your rest day.

Stretch

Source

Stretching is one of the most important aspects of your muscle recovery still it is highly ignored by several gym goers. If you leave the gym without stretching your muscles tend to be sore and stiff after workout. Doing stretching post workout will help up loosen up your muscles and joints and speed up the recovery process.

There are majorly two types of stretching: Static and Dynamic. Dynamic stretching helps in targeting major muscle groups together and better suited for warm ups. Whereas, Static stretching helps in cooling down your body, removes muscle soreness, helps in relaxation, improve flexibility and joint range of motion. So add a circuit of 5-6 static stretches post workout for better muscle recovery.

Rest day

Unless you are a fitness athlete or model who is working out to prepare for a competition, there is no need to workout every day.

Working out daily can lead to muscle injury sooner or later. If your muscles feel sore or you are in serious pain during workout it’s time to hit the snooze and take some rest. Try to take atleast one rest day in a week which can help in improving your motivation and performance for the next week.

Conclusion

Just believe that “ you are what you eat”. So even if you are lean still make sure to eat a clean healthy foods post workout. Your body is like a construction site which keeps repairing, healing and rebuilding itself. If you eat healthy and non processed foods you will be less susceptible to aging, injury and diseases. So make sure to follow these tips and get better results out from your workout.

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