Post-workout recovery is a topic of consideration for any one determined weightlifter or athlete or bodybuilder. Workout go with enormous amount of energy and muscle strength that it ought to be followed by a quick catalyst to recover the normal body functions.
Nevertheless, there are lots of existing information on internet, both helpful and destructive. They need to be carefully examined before any instruction can be followed to the latter. Importantly, we are updated on every latest research on training techniques that enable muscle growth and bodybuilding. We have also gotten access to many ways of quick post-workout recovery.
Bigger challenge is to identify the very beneficial information to ascertain effective recovery after workout. Useful information will not leave the readers and those practicing in suspense or in danger, it will rather deliver them to the promised land.
This article enlightens you on recent tips and techniques of speeding the muscle recovery. The following are the indispensable habits that will enhance your muscle’s fast recovery:
1. Balance the micros and the macros
People will always give much concentration on macro-nutrients and nearly forget the micro-nutrients. Macros have the major three energy-focused groups which are proteins, fats and carbohydrates. There is also a method of dieting in the society circles known as If It Fits Your Macros (IIFYM). In a simple but understandable language, it is flexible dieting, meaning an easy way to eat healthfully considering every calorie requirement with measuring or weighing.
Training has a high demand of micronutrient. Concentrating too much on macronutrients might mean a deficiency in one or more nutrients required by the body. This is falling short of the required standards or rules of sports nutrition or with the right term, ‘nutrition ignorance’.
According to one of researches, it established that improving the quality of your diet (not just macronutrient intake) will improve the body composition. In sportspersons, having a nutrient-dense diet gives you an optimum recovery process of the muscle and greatly improves the performance. While, dwelling on junk foods (mostly tempting) might deprive your body from receiving essential micronutrients such as vitamins, zinc, magnesium, potassium, sodium among others. Most junk foods have high fats and carbohydrates but less micronutrients. However, we are not suggesting that you kick them out by the door, no. They are foodstuffs high in energy and building units.
When you are going to be better during and after workout, choose nutrition of high quality. High quality nutrition involves a nutrition-dense diet with both macronutrients and micronutrients balanced and with equity measurements in respect to the body requirements. Long time micronutrient sources have been known to be from vegetables and fruits. However, we also have them overlapping in protein sources such as poultry and poultry products, fish and fish products, eggs and eggs products, and pulses products. But on ‘If It Fits Your Macros’ (IIFYM), you can also have rich candy bar only if it might ‘fit’ your body composition.
When you are in a cutting down plan, you don’t need much macros, instead you might need more micronutrients. The main role of the micronutrients is that it enhances or promotes hormonal and metabolic functions during reduced-calorie diets. Also, the body glands such as hypothalamus of the brain and pituitary gland require more micronutrients to perform effectively. In a sports guy, it is more recommended not to lock out micronutrients for the needs of these body organs that need continuous delivery of micronutrients catalysis.
2. Increase Carbohydrates Intake Before and After Workouts
Rules of workouts here is that you increase carbohydrate intake before and after workout sessions. Carbohydrate is a fuel to catalyze the energy requiring processes of workouts. At least, most people on sports, be it weightlifting or athletics have a slight knowledge on pre- and post- workout nutrition. They know they need more energy in between the training sessions in order to reduce fatigue.
Fatigue is caused when the amount of glycogen in the muscles is consumed. When you have undergone fatigue, it means the amount of glycogen in your body that you started with training was lesser than it could aid in fueling training. In this case, you are not likely to adjust to recovery speedily or for a better performance. It is better to consume enough carbohydrates on pre-training periods to increase the glycogen stores. Just ensure that the carbohydrate source you are using will prime your body for quick recovery and great performance. You can choose to take mashed potatoes in case you are avoiding sugar diets. Gluten-free options are also better, especially if your system does not tolerate gluten.
After any workout, you need higher carbohydrate consumption. This is because when you weightlift, for example, you will be increasing release of a glucose enzyme. This enzyme will in turn improve action of insulin and better the glycogen storage process after the supposed vigorous exercise.
Note: Don’t increase carbohydrate intake when you are not perform a workout. Simply, the fact that you increase your carb intake during the workout does not mean that you need to be taking carbohydrates the whole day or all the time. Otherwise, you are going for weight adding which might hamper your performance in the long run.
3. Sleep More
Lack of sleep has its own derogatory effects. It causes some hormonal shifts or disturbance which impair certain vital functions of the body. A study showed that loss of sleep inhibit metabolism by increasing the levels of ghrelin (hunger hormone), reducing sensitivity of insulin, and increasing the gut inflammation.
Everywhere, people are so engrossed on little sleep to take on their important concerns. Some even drug to become awake in most nights (take more of caffeine). Surprisingly, this is also observed amongst the people on fitting and weightlifting. Some avoid sleep to continue with their workouts.
This should not be the practice with those undergoing training. They need to sleep adequately to meet their intended goals. Otherwise, they are likely to introduce health risks due to hormonal disturbances. Their bodies finally lose ability to recover from a workout.
You will only have a fast recovery and better performance if you adapt a quality sleep. Sleep like a professional sleeper! Don’t use any substance or blue light to induce or inhibit your sleep. Create an environment good for your sleeping. You will experience improvements in everything pertaining your body functions and workouts if you control the quality and quantity of your sleep.
4. Be Careful With Your Digestive Health
At times, bloating results from the effect of inflammation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. It is always not appealing fighting the symptoms of GI abnormalities such as digestive discomfort, fluid accumulation in the gut, bloating and rashes. When there is any stress to the digestive system, the level of hormone that is needed for glucose uptake (thyroid) is steeply reduced. The end of this is that you hamper muscle growth or become much leaner.
Certain carbohydrate sources as corn, dairy, gluten and soy are known to be immunogenic (induce allergic responses). Many people are always sensitive to these food products and they are likely affected by minor gastrointestinal inflammation issues. Many lifters, for example, don’t have idea that they have GI disorders until they experience serious GI inflammation.
You can eliminate foods that induce inflammation in your gut (call them gut-friendly foods) as a careful consideration for the healthiness of you GI tract. Most of them don’t even contribute to muscle-building. It is even better to completely do without them. A list of food examples that eliminate this inflammation and suggested for GI health include herbs, garlic, coconut oil, probiotics and green leafy vegetables. They are known for reducing the digestive stress. Final result they will deliver to you is improving your performance, enhance your post-workout recovery and build your aesthetics.
If you are fitting you need to take the low carbohydrate foods which might reduce the cases of gastrointestinal stress. But simple and safer method is just to eliminate foods which induce the inflammation.
Training with gut problems is very difficult and might impair every performance target or recovery process. Take caution to do the necessary for good health of your GI tract.
Summary
Firstly, make sure that your diet is rich in micro and macronutrients. Quality in foods consumed will effect to quality in recovery and performance. Secondly, be keen on refueling your body by maintaining rich pre- and post-workout diet. Have a great glycogen reservoir before the workout for quick body recovery and better performance. Thirdly, have adequate. Sleep in the best environment and for a good quantity of time to stabilize your hormones and body functions. Lastly, avoid any gut issues that may inhibit efficiency of the body to utilize and perform in workouts. Eliminate all allergic or immunogenic foods that may cause digestive stress.