4 Tips for Recovery
By Erin Jimenez
Get a good nights sleep.
Lack of sleep can hinder muscular recovery and affect overall athletic performance. Restful sleep aids recovery, muscle growth and weight loss. Make sure you are getting enough restful hours of sleep every night.
Hydrate.
Drink 100 ounces of water a day. You should be drinking water and hydrating before your workouts, during, and after. If you’re a fan of an electrolyte drink like Gatorade, have a serving. But nothing beats water. Our bodies are filled with 60% of water on average. Try to drink at least 100 ounces a day. Thats about 1 gallon of water every single day. When I’m training , I can guzzle 1.5 gallons a day.
Eat protein and anti-inflammatory foods.
Eat enough protein and add a serving of anti-inflammatory foods. Proteins are important for muscle recovery and growth so make sure you’re eating foods that are rich in protein like eggs, Greek yogurt, lean meats (chicken breast), or quinoa. Foods that fight inflammation are also important. Add a serving of pineapple (it has enzymes), a serving of almonds & walnuts, handfuls of spinach or kale with lunch and dinner, berries, or a fatty fish like salmon to your diet.
Chill in an ice bath.
Marathon runners and elite athletes are known to soak in an Ice Bath for up to 20 minutes to improve recovery. The idea is the ice water constricts blood vessels, reduces swelling and inflammation. When you get out of the ice bath and warm back up, your body might feel rejuvenated and ready to take on more intense physical activity. My approach is to experiment with it and see how you feel. I like to soak in a hot epsom salt bath for 15-20 minutes. After, I’ll elevate my legs and ice my knees using a cold compress. Try out the ice bath and see how you feel.