Your Post Workout Plan is Just as Important as the Workout Itself

Whether you’re a beginner, intermediate or expert exerciser, our bodies respond to exercise in similar ways.  It’s important to take care of your overworked body after a workout.

What happens during a workout:

During exercise your muscles use a chemical called adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to generate the energy needed to support your workout. Your heart beats faster to pump more blood into your muscles and tissues. Chemical signals stimulate your body causing the arteries to widen and immensely increase your blood flow. This process involves carrying out nutrients and oxygen to the muscles being used during exercise. In the interim, your blood flow is briefly directed away from the organs that your body isn't using for the workout. Your breath increases to supply your body with oxygen in response with increased body temperature and carbon dioxide output. The body sweats and electrolytes such as sodium and potassium are depleted. Protein is broken down and utilized as a fuel source to working muscles.

Post workout regimen:

• Cool down: Slow down and even out your heart rate. This is important because you want the blood to circulate throughout your body and assist in the growth and repair of muscles.
• Stretch: Stretching after your workout will induce muscle building potential and reduce muscle soreness. Stretching may improve your flexibility, which in turn may improve your athleticism.
• Eat: There is a window of time that exists after your workout during which it would be most beneficial for your body to receive its post workout nutrition. You have to ensure nutrients are available to your body when your body needs them the most! Consuming protein and carbohydrates is essential post workout.
• Supplement: In these modern times, some look for remedies in synthetic supplements. Its best to look to the Earth's resources for nourishment. The ocean offers perfect nutrition for us in its algae and seaweed; nourishment that the body readily recognizes and needs. Whole food supplements are more easily absorbed into the body and will give you the nutrients that you don’t get from the foods you consume.