The right workout can get your energized, toned and will leave you feeling amazing afterward. However, you could be adding certain things to your workout routine that are not only hinder the effort you’ve put in, but can actually be damage to that hard work, and prevent you from getting the results you really want. Check out these 5 common mistakes to avoid after working out, and be sure not to fall into these traps.
1. Always Repeating The Same Workout
Any workout is better than no workout at all, but when it comes to getting the maximum benefits from your effort, it’s important to switch it up as much as possible. Running on the treadmill every day isn’t going to give you the same results as a day of running, a day upper body strength training, a day of leg training, and a day of a barre class. Essentially, you want to ‘confuse’ your body, or keep it guessing, and move different parts of it in different ways. Doing the same workout every time can cause you to plateau, and can prevent you from reaching your personal goals.
2. Refueling With Energy Drinks
You might like to use energy drinks to stay awake, but as far as a post-workout boost, you can’t get much worse. Supplements and drinks like these are filled with artificial ingredients and chemicals that can actually be harmful to your body, and can increase your heartrate after a workout, which is when you want to get it back to a resting state. Instead, opt for lots of water, and a light healthy meal or snack. A perfect post-workout treat is actually a smoothie bowl or protein smoothie like this Blueberry Granola Crunch Smoothie here!
3. Too Much Focus On One Body Area
Similarly to not doing the same workout everyday, you shouldn’t focus on the same parts of your body everyday. Maybe you’re looking for six-pack abs, but doing all the crunches in the world won’t give you the definition you’re looking for any faster, and in the process, you’re ignoring other parts of your body that could aid in overall fat loss, which will actually help you reach your six-pack goal even faster. Be sure to focus on at least two to three parts of the body each time you work out, and alternate throughout the week. Check out a great full body workout here that’s good for all levels.
4. Unhealthy Eating or Not Eating
If you workout, and immediately dive into a carb-heavy meal, or something you know is unhealthy, you’re not ‘balancing’ things out, like you might like to tell yourself. On the contrary, you’re holding yourself back from the best results possible. Try for something higher in protein after a workout. It’ll help give you an energy boost, and will help to repair your muscles quickly.
5. Not Taking Rest Days
Some people think that to lose weight, build muscle, or get any successful results, you need to spend hours working out, seven days a week. That’s actually been proven time and time again to be untrue. Many experts believe that, depending on your goals, working out 3-4 times a week is completely sufficient, and working out more than that isn’t actually doing much for you. In fact, it could actually be hindering you in some ways, because your body needs a few days to rest, and your muscles need time to repair. Don’t overdo it, whether you’re working out in a gym, or at home. Your rest days will feel great, and you’ll actually be benefiting your body even more by taking them.
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What tips will you try this week? Have any other post-workout tips you follow? I’d love to hear from you.
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