So, great. You’re working out! Good for you!
Now that this has become a regular part of your life (or soon will), you’re probably thinking, “How can I make the most of each workout?”.
Almost everyone feels crunched for time and energy. Next Age Fitness understands so let’s be brief. The following list will help you efficiently maximize your workout and get the most from your exercise time:
- Hydrate adequately. Your body is mostly water, and many of the basic functions your body performs require water. So, if you’re not drinking enough, you’re keeping your body from doing things like optimizing muscle performance and recovery, cushioning the tissues of your joints and skin, and removing waste properly.
- Sleep. Assuming you’re not drinking so much water that you’re waking up to go to the bathroom, chances are, when you’re low on sleep you’re simply not prioritizing your health. Although your Netflix binge can wait, when you choose to stay up late and sacrifice sleep, you’re undermining your fitness goals. You need sleep for alertness, balanced emotional well-being, and hormonal control, as well as the health and repair of many body parts, especially the cardiovascular system. When you skip sleep, you’re planning to function sub optimally.
- Eat well. Adequate nutrition and appropriate serving sizes fuel exercise and weight management goals. Eating a balanced diet both helps you prepare for and recover from a workout. Additionally, taking care not to overeat can prevent sluggishness and excess calories from food that will be stored as fat.
Unsure of where to start? Apps like MyFitnesspal and reading the nutrition labels can help you to get a good start in understanding exactly what you’re eating. Just be mindful not to take short-cuts like taking a multi-vitamin; although they can contain valuable nutrients, your body generally does not absorb nutrients as well from vitamins as it does from food.
Ok, so… what about when I’m not working out? Well, good news for you, these principles ring true for all of life. So, grab a glass of water, work out your grocery list, and off to bed with you!