After finishing a workout, your muscles need to recover and having a healthy lifestyle is the most important step you can take to make it happen. Bear in mind that there is no recovery method that will be able to make up for a lack of rest and poor nutrition. You need to eat healthy foods and also get a good night’s sleep to help your muscles recover. A lot of people think that they require expensive supplements for getting the most out of their workouts. While some supplements do offer benefits, you will not be able to maximize your performance if you do not take care of the basics.
Check out some of the top tips to maximize muscle recovery here.
Protein post and pre-workout
During exercise, the protein in your muscle fibers is damaged. You can provide your body the raw materials it requires for fixing this damage by consuming protein after working out. It is best to take 20 to 40 grams of protein to maximize muscle growth. Meanwhile, you can increase muscle protein synthesis if you eat protein before working out.
Carbohydrates post-workout
Carbohydrates are stored in your muscles in the form of glycogen for the purpose of energy. During intense and short-duration exercise, this glycogen is used by the body for energy. Therefore, you need to restore the glycogen levels in the body, so it is recommended that you consume carbs, such as sugar, potatoes and rice after a workout.
A balanced diet
You need to ensure that you eat a balanced diet overall because you do not want to develop any nutritional deficiencies because these can hinder your muscle’s ability to recover. This means that you should minimize your consumption of ultra-processed foods, make sure you eat enough protein and also prioritize eating fruits and vegetables.
Stay hydrated
Your muscles will not be able to repair themselves if you are dehydrated. Exercising in humid and hot weather can cause dehydration. You need to drink at least 16 to 24 ounces of water for every pound that you shed during exercise.
Sleep more
Sleep is the perfect time for your muscles to recover after exercise. People who engage in intense exercise need to rest even more than the average individual. Professional athletes sleep for at least 10 hours or more. Sleep deprivation can hinder muscle recovery because it impairs the body’s inflammation reaction as well as the production of the hormones that are needed for muscle growth.
Massage
One of the best ways to reduce muscle soreness is to include massage in your training. It has a significant impact on improving your flexibility and also decreases the delayed onset of muscle soreness that happens after exercise.
Avoid certain things
There are certain things you need to avoid because they can hinder muscle recovery. These include alcohol that can impair the ability of your muscles to replenish glycogen and it also prevents protein synthesis in the muscles. Similarly, smoking tobacco also has negative impacts on the musculoskeletal system. Smoking can actually increase your risk of muscle injury and developing joint disease.
