27 Dec Incorporating Self-Care Into Your Fitness Routine
When you set a fitness regimen for yourself, it’s important to practice self-care as well. When you look out for your mind and body while you’re hitting the gym, you’ll be able to get the most out of your workouts and leave feeling refreshed and ready to tackle life’s daily stressors. Below, we list a couple of ways that you can stay focused on self-care during your workouts.
Get quality sleep
Behind every great workout is a good night’s sleep. It’s almost impossible to muster up the energy to burn some calories when you’re feeling tired, cranky and not yourself due to lack of sleep. When you practice healthy sleep habits, you lead a better quality of life. Noise machines, comfortable pillows, and a dark room are just a couple of ways that can ensure you get a good night’s sleep. It’s also important to try and stick to the same sleep schedule every night. Try waking up at the same time in the morning and going to bed at the same time every night, including on the weekends. This will help regulate your body’s internal clock.
Remember to meditate
Meditation can provide various benefits, especially if you’re trying to develop a fitness routine. Practicing meditation during your workout can help you stay in the moment instead of worrying about other stressors on your mind. Meditation can also help you focus on your breathing, which is something that’s hard to do. Knowing when to inhale and exhale, and how deep you’re taking breaths will help you keep up your pace while you’re working out. Taking a couple of minutes to meditate before and after your workout will help you clear your mind and stay focused on your fitness goals. It can be hard to practice meditation at a gym, so find a space in your home that you can designate as the meditation spot.
Check in every Sunday
Sundays are typically days of rest that you use to prepare yourself for the upcoming week. Use this day to check in with your body and mind on how you’re feeling about your progress and workouts you have planned. You can use this time to add any workouts you’ve been wanting to try to the list, or take off any workouts that you don’t see any benefit from. Getting in the right mindsets on Sundays will help you better prepare to tackle the week ahead, both mentally and physically.
Eat healthy foods
In order to get the energy you need to complete your workouts, you need to eat healthy foods and stay hydrated. A healthy diet will ensure you get the most out of your workouts, and recover quickly afterwards. It’s ideal to fuel up about two hours before you work out with healthy carbohydrates (including whole-grain cereals, whole-wheat toast, low-fat yogurt and brown rice). If you only have ten minutes to eat before you work out, eat a piece of fruit beforehand. While you exercise, remember to hydrate. Following your workout, refuel with water, carbohydrates and protein.
Give yourself massages
Nothing says “self care” better than massages. When you’re sticking to a fitness regimen, you’re working out different areas of your body which can lead to sore joints and muscles. One way you can look out for your muscles is to utilize a foam roller and massage therapy ball. These devices can help you find the tension points in your body that need massaging. By giving yourself a little TLC, you’ll be able to have better workouts because your muscles will recover faster in between your trips to the gym.
Take a few minutes before, during and after every workout to remember self care. Following these tips will help you stay relaxed and focused on your end goal, which is a healthier body and mind.
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