Exercising to build muscle gives you several benefits, such as revving up your metabolism and making your bones stronger. If you're feeling sore or weak for several days after exercising, your body is likely struggling to recover from your workout. While everyone's body is different, several nutrition strategies, workout scheduling routines and lifestyle changes can help you recover faster and better so you can get more out of your gym time.
Rest More Between Exercise Days
Your muscles need approximately 48 hours to recover from the stress you put on them during exercise. Make sure you space your gym sessions apart far enough to allow for this full recovery time. Recovery is critical for your body to fix the minute tears in the muscle tissue created by exercise, and failing to let this repair process happen can hamper the muscle gains you're trying to get out of your workout. Additionally, chronic overtraining can lead to a higher risk of injuries and sprains.
Amp Up the Shut-Eye
When you sleep, two things happen with your hormone levels. First, your body increases the level of hormones that help with muscle repair and growth, and thus recovery. Second, your muscles minimize the level of hormones that damage your muscles. The result is stronger, bigger muscles and faster recovery times. If you're not recovering as fast as you'd like after exercising, check how much sleep you're getting. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that most adults get a minimum of seven hours of sleep every night.
Count Your Nutrients
Sore muscles due to poor recovery are often due, more specifically, to poor nutrition. After you've hit the weights or the running track, your muscles are in high demand for the nutrients they need to repair and grow. Enhance your recovery by fueling your muscles immediately. For the best results, try to get some food into your system right after you exercise. Aim for 30 grams of protein and 50 grams of carbohydrates. Protein helps with muscle repair and carbs help refuel your muscles' glycogen energy stores.
If you've sweated a lot during your workout and are dehydrated, your muscle recovery progress suffers. Not only does staying hydrated help with muscle tissue repair, but drinking a lot of water can also help remove toxins and waste generated by exercise, and may also help to minimize exercise-related muscle soreness. While you're working out, the American Council on Exercise suggests drinking 10 ounces of water every 10 minutes. When you've finished exercising, aim to guzzle 24 ounces of water for every pound of body weight you've lost while in the gym.
- Oprah.com: Dr. Oz's 7 Reasons to Start Building Muscle Today
- Columbia University Extension: Do I Need to Change My Workout to See Results?
- Muscle & Strength: Overtraining - Why Less Is More
- Men's Fitness: The 6 Best Ways to Recover from Your Workout
- National Sleep Foundation: How Much Sleep Do We Really Need?
- Men's Fitness: Recover Faster and Stronger
- American Council on Exercise: Healthy Hydration
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