Health and fitness look different now compared to what they used to be. People used to think they could either diet or train themselves into getting the “perfect” body. The problem with that is it can lead to overtraining. That leads to a longer recovery time. Eventually, the lack of training because of the long recovery times will ruin your diet as well.
Here are some tips to make sure your body is fully recovered is ready for more training.
Meet Your Daily Protein Requirements
Consuming the appropriate amount of protein can help you produce more energy, burn fat, and stay fit. When you’re working on your fitness, consider protein an essential in your diet. It affects almost everything that matters in your fitness.
Without enough protein, your body won’t have much quality fuel to metabolize, your muscles will start to eat themselves, and you will go into a catabolic state. Before you mention fat, you should know that fat stays. Your body doesn’t use it for fuel, protein eats fat for energy, and your fat remains as fat without protein.
Protein takes a long time for your body to metabolize, meaning you are effectively boosting your metabolism. It does so much for your body, no matter how you consume it, through food or supplements. As long as it’s in your diet, you should be golden.
Practice Active Recovery
This might be obvious, but after a year and a half in quarantine, it’s probably easier said than done, right? When you’re at home 24/7, it can be hard to get your body moving in any significant way. The chances are high that you’re working out less than you did before or not at all.
The trick is to get moving, no matter how. Taking an hour to walk or run, jog, dance, do yoga, whatever gets you out of bed or off the chair can significantly benefit your body. The problem with being stuck at home and working from home is that it gives us little reason to bother getting up.
It’s up to you to get your body moving or grooving. Just be sure to take the time out of every day to flex your muscles and use up some energy.
Get at Least Eight Hours of Sleep
Sleepless nights have probably done more to your body than anything. It has become a staple in most households these days. Netflix, YouTube, and social media give you a lot to do and fiddle with at night. But skipping sleep for more screen time harms your body in more ways than you’re aware of. Whether or not you’re working out, your body still needs rest and healing time—which happens during sleep.
Lack of sleep forces your body to produce cortisol, which is a stress hormone. This tells your body to use anything for energy. If you are building muscles, you can kiss those goodbye without any proper sleep.
If you’re still not convinced, did you know that your body burns more calories during sleep? By sleeping less, you’re also burning fewer calories. So, that’s something to think about the next time you notice the sun rising on you.
The Bottom Line
There are plenty of ways to continue training while still getting quality recovery time. This is why as an athlete, fitness enthusiast, or just a regular individual, you have to know how to treat your body correctly. There are ways that you can improve your habits to make sure that you recover more efficiently.
If you suspect you’re suffering symptoms of overtraining, it’s time to get a health and fitness check. You can find Invigor Health in Bondi Beach, Sydney. We offer various services like physiotherapy, movement screening, and other assessments to get you at your best. Fix your pain and future-proof your body by booking an appointment with us. Contact us today to learn more!