Replenishing fluids during exercise is essential for maintaining optimal performance, especially when exercising in hot temperatures (10, 11).
Moreover, hydrating after your workout can help you recover and get you ready for your next training session (12, 13).
2. Optimize your nutrition
Be sure to consume a balanced diet to support your fitness program.
All food groups are necessary to sustain healthy energy levels and get the most out of your workout. Carbs are vital, as they can fuel your muscles before exercise (14).
Carbs are also important after exercise to replenish glycogen stores and assist with the absorption of amino acids into your muscles during recovery (15).
Additionally, protein helps improve muscle recovery after exercise, repairs tissue damage, and builds muscle mass (16).
Lastly, regularly consuming healthy fats has been shown to help burn body fat and preserve muscle fuel during workouts, making your energy last longer (14).
Click these links for more info about pre-workout and post-workout nutrition.
3. Warm up
It’s important to warm up before your workout. Doing so can help prevent injuries and improve your athletic performance (17, 18).
It can also help improve your flexibility and reduce soreness after your workout (18).
Simply start your workout with some aerobic exercises like arm swings, leg kicks, and walking lunges.
Alternatively, you can warm up by doing easy movements of the exercise you’re planning to do. For example, walk before you run.
4. Cool down
Cooling down is also important because it helps your body return to its normal state.
Taking a couple of minutes to cool down can help restore normal breathing patterns and even reduce the chance of muscle soreness (18, 19).
Some cool-down ideas include light walking after aerobic exercise or stretching after resistance training.
5. Listen to your body
If you’re not used to working out every day, be mindful of your limits.
If you feel pain or discomfort while exercising, stop and rest before continuing. Pushing through the pain is not a good idea, as it can cause injuries.
Also, remember that working out harder and faster is not necessarily better.
Taking your time to progress through your fitness program can help you maintain your routine in the long term and make the most of it.
