ONE
Push your limits, don’t backflip over them and continue
sprinting toward overtraining. Yes, the foundation of
adaptation is exposing your body to a stress it has
never experienced before, but those steps should be
incremental. Start slowly and push yourself a little farther
each day.
TWO
Pre exercise warm-up, post-exercise stretching.
Stretching is one of the most misunderstood
components of exercise. Although the latest research
has made it clear that pre-exercise stretching is a no-no
as it can hinder workout performance and even increase
injury risk, a proper warm-up prepares you for a more
effective workout and quicker recovery. Stretching
post-workout is one of the best ways to relieve muscular
tension. Maintaining flexibility, mobility, and muscular
pliability are important for recovery and to keep injury
risk low. Plan for it and accept that your workout will be
10 minutes longer because you need to warm-up and
cool down—your body will thank you the next day.
THREE
Get serious about nutrition. The answer to pretty much
every health-related question is proper nutrition.
Exercise recovery is no different. Protein shakes and
post-exercise recovery drinks are all the rage in sports
supplementation, but you don’t need a drink consisting of
a bunch of expensive ingredients you’ve never heard of. A
combination of protein and fast-digesting carbohydrates
will help replenish glycogen and vital nutrients, and
regulate insulin levels in the normal range. Don’t forget
calcium, potassium, and sodium—electrolytes depleted
during intense exercise. Chocolate milk is the current fad
as it provides adequate amounts of both fast- and slowdigesting proteins (whey and casein), simple carbohydrates
from the chocolate and calcium, but a Slim & Sassy®
TrimShake mixed with some fruit can also do the trick.
FOUR
Active recovery. While “rest” is the operative word, for best
results you need to be pro-active about recovery. You
don’t want to work through the pain, but light movement
and other active recovery techniques can help expedite
the process. A light walk or bike ride, self-myofacial
release (the scientific term for what you use those foam
rollers for), yoga, or even a massage can stimulate blood
flow and improve circulation to the broken down muscle
tissue. Also, don’t forget Deep Blue®, the perfect soothing
blend after exercise, and a few drops of Lavender on your
pillow to prepare for a restful sleep.
doterra.com / 11