
Recovering After Training
Training results in a very sore body. Below a variety of ways to help your body repair and recover, and reduce the D.O.M.S. (delayed onset muscle soreness) brought on by exercise.
Before training:
- Ensure that you have had at least 1-2 litres of water on a cold day and 2-3 litres of water on a hot day, throughout the day, to ensure you are fully hydrated for training. This will prevent cramps and stitches. It will also ensure you have enough blood being produced for adequate oxygen and proper circulation to avoid feeling dizzy during training. It will also help maintain blood pressure.
- Eat before training. This will vary from one person to another. Some people can eat then train straight away, others need a good 1-2 hours to digest. In your pre-workout meal include:
- A protein source (serve size is the size of your palm)
- A carb source such as sweet potato, pumpkin, rice or quinoa (serve size is the size one of your hands cupped)
- Greens (serve size is two of your hands cupped)
- Serve of good fats, such as avocado, coconut oil, butter, nuts or seeds (serve size is the size of your thumb).
Post Training:
- In your post workout meal include:
- A protein source (serve size is the size of your palm)
- A carb source such as sweet potato, pumpkin, rice or quinoa (serve size is the size one of your hands cupped)
- Greens (serve size is two of your hands cupped).
- This sort of meal and quantity is recommended to be consumed within an hour post training.
- Avoid fats in your post training meals, as we want your body to utilise the insulin effectively to feed the muscles to help them rebuild and recover.
- All other meals throughout the day are to have goods fats in place of carbs. I specify your hand as a serve indicator, as each person has different hand sizes, just like their stomachs and bodies.
- Drink a couple of glasses of water over the next hour post training. Again this helps wash away lactic acid which builds up in the muscles (this is what causes D.O.M.S.), by helping increase blood flow. As well as re-hydrate you, it will also help distribute the nutrients you have just consumed in your post workout meal.
- Take magnesium supplements to help muscle recovery and reduce muscle cramps.
- Use Magnesium topical application lotion, available at the studio to help further relax those muscles without consuming too much magnesium in the gut.
- Most people in today’s day and age are deficient in magnesium. We do not get anywhere near enough in our food and it is a mineral used by every single cell in our bodies. Magnesium deficiency can also prevent fat burning. We sell magnesium at the studio. To find out more about this fabulous mineral read my blog “The Importance of Magnesium”
- When you go home from training, a cold shower can help reduce inflammation in the muscles and so reduce soreness, the same way an ice pack helps a rolled ankle.
- Stretch well after training, and stretch again the next morning straight out of bed when the muscles are still warm or alternatively after a hot shower when muscles are also warm.
- Spas and Saunas help too – Book in to our infrared sauna for amazing recovery results!
- Massage is brilliant for sore muscles. Book a massage.
- Stay active the day after you have trained by going for a brisk walk or swim. This will help flush away the lactic acid once again as per above. The longer you sit, the worse it will be.
- Include Pink Himalayan salt with your meals as this salt is full of all sorts of nutrients that help reduce cramps and maintain hydration. Alternatively we sell “Caltryte’ at the studio which are electrolytes that you can add to your water.
- Final tip, have your zinc levels checked as a deficiency in zinc can hinder muscle repair (and sex drive but that’s another conversation lol). Most people today are deficient in magnesium and zinc. We stock this too.
The more you exercise, the less painful it will be; it will be there, but far less.
Terri Batsakis