A new year brings new resolutions, most of which are to get fit and healthy after what tends to be a very indulgent month of December. Whether you are new to working out, or you’re a lifelong gym bunny; we should all know that when we work out, it doesn’t end when we get off the treadmill or the class finishes, you’re not done until you’ve completed your post workout. Don’t worry you’re going to like this bit, we’ve gathered our top tips for your post workout and the good news - they involve carbs! 

Don’t skip this part, if you can remember back to your school days, lying on a mat stretching out – there was a reason your teachers made you do that. It’s important not to come to an abrupt stop, if you don’t let your heart rate come back to resting level that’s when you get dizzy and can faint. Cool down by continuing to move gently, it’s easy when you’re on gym equipment; most have a cool down button – hit it! We all want to be a bit more flexible right? That’s where stretching comes in, it’s the perfect time when you’ve just worked out as your muscles are warm and pliable. 

You might feel all you ever hear is people telling you to drink more water and might be a bit sick of it BUT there is a really good reason for this. Our bodies are mainly made of water, 60% to put a number on it. Our heart and brain are 73% water, our lungs 83% water, our skin 64%, our muscles and kidneys 79% and even our bones are 31% water. Working out takes water from all of these so we need to top our levels back up. When we don’t, we can get muscle cramps, nausea and fatigue.

Also, when you’re de-hydrated, your body sends signals that you’re hungry and you can end up eating the calories you just burned when all you need is a glass of water.

Not sure if it’s for you? Do you even need it? It’s only for bulking up, right? Protein is actually key to our muscle development. If you’re working out, you need to keep your muscles healthy and strong, so you don’t get injured. Whey protein is what you want to take, our bodies can digest it and absorb it quickly, and the quicker the better. Post work out, muscle protein is breaking down, so taking a protein shake straight away will help maximise your muscular development. Still not for you? Just try eating foods high in protein like lean meat, fish, quinoa, lentils, almonds or cashews within 30 minutes of your work out.

In particular, we mean potassium and sodium. Potassium helps our muscles contract and relax as well as the growth of muscle tissue. If your potassium levels are low, you might suffer with muscle cramps and fatigue after you work out. Easy tip – eat a banana, it’s full of it! Sodium, another electrolyte in our bodies, helps regulate water levels in and around our cells. We lose sodium through our sweat, so after a workout, our levels will be depleted and if not restored again can result in headaches, nausea, difficulty concentrating and agitation.  How to get sodium in your system? Include foods such as spinach and bacon in your diet, they are great sources of sodium.

Not only does it feel good, but it improves your circulation while allowing you to fully relax. Use AAAHHH! soothing balm for aching feet & limbs after your workout and massage onto your feet and up your legs. The cooling, tingly sensation instantly relieves the heat and swelling, it’s the go-to-product for easing tight muscles. Why not try some of our energising or relaxing massage olis which you can also use as bath oils.