Workout Recovery Days For The Type A

Recovery is vital! Taking care of yourself involves more than crushing weight all the time. It sounds so attractive: kicking your feet up and relaxing. Still, sometimes I have a hard time allowing myself to rest.

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My problem? I feel guilty and lazy if I haven’t exercised. Granted, some of that is probably part of a more deep-seeded problem than is appropriate for this blog, BUT I have a feeling some #Pom2Moms readers may have similar tendencies.

With that in mind, I’ve come to teach myself how to have productive recovery days. Sounds like an oxymoron? It’s possible!

Here’s some of the most critical, important tips to squeeze every last drop out of your Recovery Day:

1.) Water –

Words cannot express how important water consumption is to recovery. HYDRATE! That’s why it’s number 1.

Opinions differ as to how much water humans should consume throughout the day. The most common recommendation is eight 8-ounce servings throughout the day. Safe to say, most agree that by the time you’re feeling thirsty, your body needed water a while ago.

I try to sneak water into different types of categories, so I’m not so bored. My favorite is lemon, BCAA water. Slice a fresh lemon, throw some [amazon_textlink asin=’B06XCT7G2X’ text=’BCAAs in your water‘ template=’ProductLink’ store=’poms2moms-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’77ed6872-7097-11e8-b007-9d8492440fb9′], and shake with ice. Boom. Hydrating AND muscle recovering.

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2.) Walk –

Who loves a good dog walk? (Cheers to all the dog moms!) Getting yourself moving, but not spiking your heart rate, is a great recovery factor. Hitting my step goal on my [amazon_textlink asin=’B01K9S24EM’ text=’Fitbit‘ template=’ProductLink’ store=’poms2moms-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’6037c43a-7097-11e8-83ea-7b5b5d73cb06′] makes me feel accomplished, but I also know it’s good for me too.

When I get the fireworks of accomplishment after meeting my step-goal, I miraculously feel like I’ve accomplished something.  It’s simple acknowledgement.

But it also is a form of active recovery that will help push oxygen through to your muscles, carrying away the stiffness built up from the week.

3.) Protein –

On your “rest days,” take time to focus extra carefully on nutrition.

Consume foods rich in protein and healthy, complex carbs.  The protein aids in repair for the muscles you’ve strained all week, helping you get back in action for gym day. Start your day with protein, and be able to point to the protein in each meal the rest of the day.

My snacking recommendation? [amazon_textlink asin=’B07BN53LBC’ text=’Quest bars‘ template=’ProductLink’ store=’poms2moms-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’2f338c1b-7097-11e8-bf3a-cb02fd5349e4′].  (Thank you P2M’s very own Kaitlin for the original recommendation!)  They are delicious, and their macros are on point.

High-caffeine beverages can be diuretics, which make you pee, which could dehydrate you more.  So, have the [amazon_textlink asin=’B003YNEXFS’ text=’Kona‘ template=’ProductLink’ store=’poms2moms-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’fc28fd36-7096-11e8-9d8c-7d8ad41b8b0d’] coffee but also drink an extra glass of water.  At least, that’s my method.  And coffee makes me so happy.

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Not only will protein help replenish your muscles, but it’ll prime your mind to get you back in the gym the next day.  Obviously, muscles are made in the KITCHEN NOT THE GYM (if we all had a dollar for every time we’ve heard that, we’d be rich, right?).  Allow your nutrition to help propel you back to the gym.

4.) Sleep –

Ever since I got my Fitbit, I’ve tracked my sleep like a crazy person.  The different sleep cycles are so interesting to me. However, what surprised me….  you don’t get as much sleep as you think you do.

All that pink is “awake time” that I don’t remember, but my body wasn’t asleep.  Before this information, I’d just count out 7 hours and think that was fine.  But knowing that’s not enough, I consciously try to add more time for sleeping.

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Also, turn the phone off!  (Okay, I’m SUPER guilty of this!)  But when you aim for more sleep, your body thanks you.  As the Fitbit staff explain, sleep can help trim that waistline and build those muscles.

Good luck and happy recovering!