Ensure good muscle recovery to help improve performance and to burn more fat with these 5 Steps:
Everyone is unique, everyone is different but potentially the fitter you are the more recovery time you may need. You are able to complete more intense exercise in less time than people who are not so fit. You will have more lean muscle mass than not so fit people so when the muscles tear and break down after exercise the more lean muscle tissue there is to repair by the body.
Recovery is the time when your muscles mend and grow which is when the most amount of fat is burnt. Whether you have completed cardiovascular or resistance activity, recovery shouldn't be an after thought.
Not all recovery is the same as it depends on many factors like level of intensity, duration, etc. You need to take care after your body and your recovery starts as soon as you have finished your exercise. To help you to possibly enhance your recovery please see my top 5 points to boost recovery below:
1) Ice baths:
The hormone adiponectin is released which helps to enhance muscle repair and recovery, ice baths lower your body's inflammation.
2) Anti-inflammatory diet:
Eat foods like grass-fed meat, salmon, free range eggs, dark green vegetables, avocados, eggplants, berries, pomegranates, pineapple, garlic and ginger as they all have high anti-inflammatory properties. Avoid foods high in sugar, alcohol, white grains and legumes. Eat 5 to 6 small meals a day and allow 2 to 3 hours digestion before you go to sleep.
3) Replace lost fluids:
This depends strongly on activity type and duration. Try to stay hydrated at all times.
4) Quality sleep:
No disruption in your sleep, sleep in darkness, try to sleep between 10.30pm and 6am depending on your activity level.
5) Supplementation:
Although this depends on what type of exercise you have completed most people require more quality protein and magnesium intake during recovery. Most people are deficient in magnesium which can cause muscle cramping, muscle soreness and weakness, lower immune system and disrupting sleep, Magnesium supplementation can increase muscle strength and release more growth hormone.
For further advice please contact me.