Menos Hiras acknowledges that some of his friends and colleagues who exercise regularly or play sports tend to neglect the care that must usually be performed after strenuous activity.
Muscle recovery is as much part of physical training as a warm-up before the game. It’s essential to cool down after an hour or two of continuous high-paced and high-intensity workout. You need to give your body the chance to recover to boost muscle and tissue repair.
Here are some vital recovery tips:
1. Drink plenty of fluids
Hydration plays an important role in muscle mass recovery after exercising. The fluids you lost while working out should have been replenished as you are exercising. However, Menos Hiras points out that you should also drink more to boost your recovery, improve metabolic function and improve the nutrients in your body.
2. Up your protein intake
After a laborious, strenuous exercise, your body will need plenty of protein to heal. You can drink a high protein meal after your workout. The next day, after a good night’s rest, you should also remember to eat a high protein breakfast. The great thing about this is that it will also reduce your cravings later on in the day and give you enough fuel to power through. Drink that chocolate milk too—you’ve earned it, and your body needs it.
3. Sleep
Exhausted and drowsy? Menos Hiras explains that your body is telling you that it needs to recover, so listen to that need. A big part of the recovery is to sleep as this is the body’s way of repairing itself, as well as re-balancing the body’s hormones and growth factors. Sleep is vital to daily muscle repair, so try to get at least seven to nine hours of good sleep after your workout.
Menos Hiras explains that if you don’t adequately care for your body after your workouts, you may do more harm than good. Remember to keep your body healthy by allowing it to recover.
