The other day, my gym-buddy Alicia seemed a little on edge. She was switching from one routine to the next, without taking breaks. Her aggressive handling of the equipment let everyone knew something was off about her today. Cassie, our trainer, couldn’t resist inquiring her. Alicia, who was already panting and shivering, broke down into tears. She said she doesn’t want to continue with these sessions anymore. “It seems like all my energy drains away, and I am not achieving my fitness goals. Plus, the body-shaming culture at my workplace is pathetic.” she expressed. “But I don’t want to give up so soon!”
Right away, Cassie made us all quit our routines and sit with her. She began how she appreciates the way we keep our noses to the grindstone. “But for today, let’s go over the basics. Bear in mind; your workout doesn’t start at the gym. It commences as soon as you wake up and goes on throughout the day,” she said.
We discussed how bullying and body-shaming could leave lasting mental and physical impact. Let’s leave that post to some other day. Below, I have listed seven tips Cassie advised us all to follow. They will help to weed out the shoddy results and improve your overall energy and happiness levels.
1. Eat Slow Digesting Carbs
Food fuels your body to reach your exercise goals. In the hours before you work out, you must eat something that helps to boost performance and sustain your energy—eating carbs before exercise preserves your muscles and liver glycogen. It also stimulates the release of insulin. Research at Long Borough University in London found that athletes who consumed slow-digesting carbs during lunch or breakfast burned fatter during the day.
2. Consume Caffeine before Workout
Sipping caffeine before you hit the gym can boost your energy level. It rapidly absorbs into the bloodstream, and the blood levels rise after 90 – 100 minutes. They remain at peak for 3, 4 hours and then start to fall.
Also, caffeine taken before workout increases endurance, fat-burning, and cuts down the pain of training. A study by PubMed Central discovered that caffeine supplements significantly increases the release of stored fat pre- and post-workout.
3. Understand the Muscle-training Basics
Once you have enhanced the caloric and protein intake, your body has sufficient building blocks to get bigger. During your time at the gym, carry out compound movements. Lift weights four times per week. You will notice a significant improvement in your strength with just two or three 20- or 30-minute weight training sessions a week. In this regard, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends incorporating strength training at least twice a week.
In the meantime, getting rest is also important. Muscle tissues grow when the body is in the relax mode.
4. Choose Reliable Supplements
Many people find it a challenge to sustain their levels of energy throughout the session. Adding supplements to your diet is an incredible way of ensuring you will have the desired level of strength and better endurance. Creatine, for instance, is an effective strength-booster. It will increase your power, strength, and energy. Those who supplement with Creatine can expect to notice anywhere between a 5-15% improvement in strength and performance.
Always check if the chosen ones suit your age, health, and gender.
5. Get the Right Workout Gear
The need for quality sportswear is something we fail to realize before we hit the gym. Besides helping you get into the gym-rat mindset, it also hosts a couple of other benefits. For example, you will be sweating a lot, so you need a breathable fabric that wicks the moisture away. For underwear, males can go for a range such as MyPakage to let its Pouch Technology lift and support your man parts throughout the session.
As for women, they must choose articles of clothing that provide comfort. It should make you focus on the routine rather than being conscious of how awkward you look in a certain pose.
6. Drink Shakes to Fight Fatigue
Protein shakes have become a convenient breakfast drink. Protein boosts metabolism and stimulates the muscular growth. According to Melissa Majumdar, who is the Spokesperson at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics National Media, consuming a protein shake at night will bring benefits for athletes (based on a small study published in the British Journal of Nutrition).
Besides consuming energy-boosting shakes, you must curate your playlist carefully. Your favorite music will pump you up, and your body will be ready to put in more effort. Boyce quotes a study that when people listen to their favorite music, their blood vessels expand 26% more than usual.
7. Have Warm Water Baths
Soaking yourself in a hot water tub or sauna after the exercise routine can bring in some incredible health benefits. It will elevate your mood after the tough sweats and induce positive hormones. The heat will get your blood moving, which is great for circulation and also helps the sore or tight muscles to relax. It will reduce your blood pressure and reduce the chances of serious heart conditions.
Given you have put in blood, sweats, and tears, a warm water bath will lift off the misery. It makes you feel alive and awake. Pursoma founder Shannon Vaughn provides that when you have a hot bath, you sweat. “That’s a kind of activity in and of itself—so afterward, people tend to feel refreshed.”
And you can make it even more soothing by adding lavender and aloe oils or Epsom salts.
Wrapping Up
Cassie glanced at now-somewhat-sober Alicia and said, “Motivation is the key. You cannot expect a change overnight. Don’t let anyone pull you down.”
The entire session ended at quite an optimistic note. We decided to stay more vigilant throughout the day and make efforts to incorporate all these tips as far as possible. I hope you found these tips helpful.
If you liked the article, check out Go Further with Food: Get to Know the New Nutrition Facts Label
