You have been working out and that’s great. There are certain things you should do before, during and after a workout to reach your fitness goals. You might be thinking that you are not achieving what you wanted to achieve, even though you have been working really hard. Did you know that what you do right after your workout has a tremendous effect on losing weight or building those great abs? Here are some things you should never do after workout:
8 Things you should never do after workout
1. Not allowing your body to cool
After working out intensively, you have to really have to let your body cool down. You just have to make it part of your workout routine, without fail. You should allow your body 30 minutes to cool down, and if not 30 then at least 10 minutes. You may be thinking why cooling down is so important – it’s because your blood pressure and heart rate will return to your normal rate.
Otherwise blood might start accumulating in the veins (called venous pooling). This is perhaps the worst thing that could happen. Also your legs will stop feeling like jello and your heart will stop racing. The next day will be much better, as you will be less sore, and your whole body won’t be an aching mess.
Cooling can be achieved by exercising slowly on treadmill, or doing some yoga or using the foam manner in the correct manner. While working out and cooling down, first learn the right techniques from a trainer so that you don’t cause injury to yourself.
2. Not stretching
After you cool down, the other thing which many people don’t do is stretching. Stretch for at least 5 minutes stretching. Any stretching exercise will suffice. So the thing you should never do after workout is to avoid stretching after cooling down.
Scientifically, stretching your muscles means that the lactic acid which is built up in the muscles will be eliminated.
3. Being dehydrated
One of the things you should avoid is getting dehydrated after your workout. You can cause injury to yourself if your body does not get enough liquids. Signs of dehydration are extreme thirst, headaches, dizziness and feeling nauseous. If ever it gets so bad that you feel like throwing up, then you have to seek professional medical help. Let your trainer know about it and they will get you the help you want.
You ought to drink some glasses after the workout or else you will not be able to replenish all the electrolytes as well as fluids you lost. The best way to know whether you are dehydrated or not, is to look at the color of your urine – if it is dark yellow, it means you have been drinking less water. The lighter color of urine indicates that you are body is hydrated.
4. Eating junk food
The worst thing you should never do after workout is bingeing on foods which are high in calories. You definitely need some fuel after a grueling exercise routine, but you should definitely stay away from empty calories. Candies, pastries, burgers, pizzas, creamy pastas and the like should be avoided like the plague.
A small protein laden snack like a tiny bit of peanut butter, or a multigrain sandwich with veggies, cottage cheese and peanut butter will be just the right snack.
5. Drink loads of sports drinks
The ads for sports drinks make them more enticing and delicious and seemingly healthy. Sure, they do restore some of the carbs and electrolytes you lost, but the rest is just chock full of calories derived from the sugar and the unhealthy carbs in it. Quenching your thirst with sports drinks is one of the things you should avoid after working out.
Or else, you are just filling up the body with the calories you just lost with your extreme workout. Munch on some almonds or walnuts to get the carbs and proteins you want in a healthy way. But guzzling sugary sports drinks is one of the things you should never do after workout.
6. Not moving during the day
After a massive sweat session, it’s understandable if you just want to lounge around the whole day. But it’s not excusable. You have to make yourself move about during the day or else you will suffer from cramps. Your body will tighten up unless you walk every 45 -minutes, whether you’re at home or at office.
In office, get an exercise ball in place of the desk chair. Walk and go and get a glass of water, or deliver messages personally. This will keep you mobile in the workplace and stop your body from tightening up.
7. Changing in time
This point is not about fitness, but about hygiene. Whether you’re drenched in sweat or sweating just a little, you have to change right afterwards. Once your clothes dry up, it’s even worse. Taking of the sweaty clothes will make you feel great and you won’t be an eyesore either. So taking your time to change is one of the things you should never do after workout.
8. Not tracking your progress daily
Okay, so it’s not one of the things which will cause you bodily injury or harm. But tracking your progress every day using fitness trackers will help to keep you on the right direction. Write down the weights you used for the day, the time you spent on the treadmill, and so on. This will help you know what weights you have to use in some time, whether to increase or decrease the weight.
Lifting same amount of weight for many days will not help. Noting your progress allows you to have an objective view about the workout, and where you need to switch up things a notch or tone it down.
If you go gymming at night, then you may not be giving your body the rest it needs to recover. You have to sleep in time and get the rest you require so that your body is able to make full recovery or else you will wear out completely.