How to Recover Quickly From a Workout

July 14, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Health & Fitness

fight FatigueUsually a workout can take a lot out of you. Most of the time this is good news as you’re left with a satisfied feeling despite being tired, but in our frantic lives, we don’t often have time to enjoy the good feeling of a job well done while lounging about. Instead, you need to recover from your workout quickly enough to get back to work or go on to an important dinner date.

Stretch and Cool Down

Be sure to make stretching and cooling down a part of every routine. A series of stretches will boost you flexibility and give your body a chance to come back to a more natural place of equilibrium without an abrupt stop. Walk on the treadmill or elliptical machine, do a few yoga moves, work a bit on staying limber with stretches before heading to the locker room.


Shower

After a workout, immediately shower in lukewarm or cool water. This will not only wash away sweat and toxins your body has released during exercise, it will also help to wake you back up from that cozy endorphin high you’re living in. An energizing body wash might be a good start to recovering as well.

Give Your Body Fuel

A hard workout has taken most of your body’s natural energy, and to replenish it, you need to offer your body fuel. High protein snacks and the right supplements can boost energy naturally as well as improving the muscle building effectiveness of the routine. Eating correctly both before a workout and after can keep energy levels up and help your body recover faster. Likewise, taking a supplement such as beta alanine before a workout and Scivation Xtend following the workout can have rejuvenation properties as well.

Rehydrate

Replace the water depleted through sweat following a workout. Drinking water throughout the day helps to keep hydration levels steady, but following a workout it is especially important to flush the toxins out the body and replenish water supplies.


Rest

Finally, take some time off your feet following a workout. This might be your car while you drive slowly home or kicking back at a meeting after lunch. Reclining when possible, but sitting still at least will give your body time to heal and recover completely. Be sure to continue your rest when you get home and to sleep well at night. Only after a long night’s sleep will your muscles be truly recovered and ready for the next day’s workout.

Easy Step By Step Instructions
  • End every workout with a session of cooling down and stretching to let muscles cool down gradually
  • Shower in lukewarm or cool water to reenergize and feel refreshed
  • Give your body the fuel it needs to keep burning calories and replenish natural energy sources
  • Drink plenty of water to properly rehydrate
  • Rest and sleep well at night to allow your muscles to heal completely
Warnings, Advice, and Suggestions

Part of a rapid recovery following a workout is being rested before the workout begins. Don’t workout to a challenging level if you’re tired or in ill health as it will take considerably longer to recover – if you recover for the day at all.

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (No Ratings Yet)
Loading ... Loading ...

How to Reduce Fatigue During Workouts

July 14, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Health & Fitness

Reduce FatigueThere is no question that a powerful workout will improve your health, sharpen your focus, reduce your stress levels and contribute to your overall quality of life. However, many would-be athletes struggle with exercise simply because they tire so easily. The fatigue that strikes even seasoned athletes is a serious hurdle to your overall healthy, but not surprisingly improving your lifestyle outside of the gym can make considerable improvements in your energy levels and work out productivity.

Get More Sleep

The obvious first step to any fatigue related symptoms is to sleep more often and with more quality. Dozing off with the television on before rolling into bed after midnight is not producing the kind of rest your body needs to recover from intense workouts. Working out will help you sleep more deeply and that deep sleep is exactly what your body needs to build muscle and grow stronger. Remember, too, that eight hours of sleep is prescribed for adults over the age of twenty-five or thirty. Young adults and teens need as much as nine or ten hours of sleep a night to be at their peak levels of performance.


Stay Hydrated

Drinking water and other noncarbonated beverages throughout the day will help you remain hydrated and give you focus. When your body does not have enough fluids, you can begin to feel tired, experience headaches and feel nausea. Consider eight glasses of water a day the absolute minimum if you’re not planning on doing much sweating.

Eat Small, Balanced Meals

Your energy level is derived primarily from calories. After all, a calorie is a unit of energy. That being said, the kinds of calories you eat and when you eat them can have a dramatic effect on your energy levels throughout the day and during workouts. Avoid simple sugars that burn off quickly and induce peaks and valleys in energy. This includes many supplement bars and many snack foods.

Opt instead for high protein foods that contain a healthy amount of fat, such as a handful of nuts or grilled chicken. Whole grains will also give you lasting energy, but be sure to eat in small quantities to avoid the lethargic feeling of digestion.

Consider Supplements

There are supplements known for boosting energy without addictive or dangerous elements. Many diet supplements contain ephedra or similarly dangerous drugs that boost heart rates before exercise, but products such as beta alanine, and specifically Scivation Xtend, have been shown to boost energy levels naturally and extend your endurance levels – especially during cardio.


Take It Easy

Unless you’re used to working out for an hour a day or more, don’t rush into a high endurance workout. Work yourself up to that level gradually to give yourself more time to build muscle and endurance naturally. Starting an intense program too quickly or jumping to a much higher level of exercise before you are physically ready can be fatigue-inducing as well.

Easy Step By Step Instructions
  • Get more rest. Young adults need as much as ten hours of sleep a night
  • Stay hydrated. Your body runs on water so drink more
  • Eat multiple small meals throughout the day
  • Consider dietary supplements for the workout
  • Build up to higher levels of fitness
Warnings, Advice, and Suggestions

Muscle fatigue is normal after a solid workout, but pain is not. If you feel pain or experience swelling following a workout, seek the advice of trained medical staff.

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
Loading ... Loading ...

How to Use the Acai Berry

December 23, 2008 by admin  
Filed under Health & Fitness

There are many benefits of the acai berry. Recently featured on Opera, the acai berry is a wonderful antioxidant that also has a great deal of fiber and some weight loss benefits. Using the acai berry requires only determine which of the 21 health benefits of the acai berry you’re hoping to benefit from and then making the berry part of a diet targeting those areas.

Detox the Body

When you first add the acai berry to a healthy diet, you’ll notice that the fiber present in the berry will help to cleanse your system. This natural detox continues as the acai berries also help to remove free radicals and other toxins from your system. The end result is a greater feeling of energy and overall health.

Weight Loss

Many use the acai berries for a form of weight loss. The berries increase metabolism which helps to burn more calories and is also loaded with fiber which helps you to remain full for longer periods of time. To use the berries for weight loss, arrange your diet to include healthy food choices avoiding sugars and other empty calorie snack foods.

The acai berry will boost your energy levels, help you burn calories more quickly and gives you the drive and determination you need to continue with a weight loss plan and exercise routine.

Boost the Immune System

Many of the acai berry’s benefits come from the boost the berry gives to the immune system. By destroying free radicals, the immune system is taxed less and better able to fight off other disease and bacteria. Eating the acai berries on a regular basis can make you healthier overall.

Easy Step By Step

  • Obtain acai berries or supplements made from acai berries.
  • Consume the berries as part of a healthy diet to aid in weight loss, detoxification and to increase immunity.
  • Continue with acai berries as part of a healthy diet to see long term benefits.

Warnings, Advice, and Suggestions

Acai berries are perishable and do not travel well, so many of the acai berry products available use powered or dried versions of the plant.

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (2 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)
Loading ... Loading ...