Now, in your quest to lose body fat, it can sometimes be easy to ignore workout recovery.

But in order to keep making progress, a lack of adequate rest and recovery from your workouts can start to affect your overall progress.

So we all live in a world where striving for more is the norm, and achieving more has to be done in double quick time. So, it’s only natural for you to want to workout as much, and as frequently as possible. Because that’s what leads to achieving your goal as quickly as possible, right?

Unfortunately though, it’s not quite that simple.

Now, training is fun. But it’s only part of the equation. Workout recovery is vital. And if you choose to overlook it, you’re guaranteed to be limiting your progress and increasing the time that it will take to achieve your goal.

In this blog, we will explain why workout recovery is important and some of our top tips on how to maximise your recovery after working out.

Now, it might surprise you to know that you don’t need to constantly workout and plough your body into the ground to lose fat and get in shape. In fact, this approach is highly likely to have the reverse effect.

Here's why you should plan recovery days throughout your training week:

1.     It gives the body adequate time to replenish energy stores and repair damaged tissue cause by exercise

2.     Rest days help the body to adapt to the stress that we place on it through training

3.     Recovery helps to reduce over training 

The bottom line is this…prioritise workout recovery just as much as the workouts themselves. 

Our 6 top tips to help you maximise your workout recovery and achieve your fitness goals:

1. Manage your training volume and intensity

Now, this is gonna vary depending on the individual. And as a rule of thumb, adjust the volume and intensity of your training based on whether or not you are fully recovered between your workouts.

2. Prioritise nutrition to maximise workout recovery

Eating for recovery doesn’t have to be overly complex. Post workout try to consume some form of protein within 3 hours of your training. As well as this, during the day aim to consume multiple protein servings. As a guide, if your goal is fat loss aim for about 1.6g of protein per kg of your bodyweight. This will help you to build muscle as well as help to keep you feeling full up.

3. Develop an optimal sleep routine

Sleep is a crucial part of workout recovery…so don’t ignore it! This is especially true if you’re in a calorie deficit. A few tips that we give out to clients when it comes to creating an effective sleep routine...

- Create a sleep routine you can stick to each day

- Set a specific time to go to bed and wake up in the morning

- Turn off all technology that emits blue light at least 60 minutes before bed

- Try to get natural sunlight as soon as possible once you’ve woken up 

4.     Reduce alcohol and stimulants 

Alcohol can have a real impact on those of you trying to adhere to a calorie deficit. I’m not saying to not have alcohol but make sure that you factor it into your calories throughout the week. As well as alcohol, caffeine consumption during the day may impact sleep and ultimately your ability to perform at your best the following day.

So whilst a constant drip of caffeine might help you get through the working day and a bottle of wine helps you unwind, it might not be the best recovery approach. Instead, focus on the basics of nutrition that make a real difference.

5.     Rest days are exactly what it says on the tin…REST!

Now on a rest day, you might be tempted to do an ‘active recovery’ or some cardio. But this might not be the best option. Doing absolutely nothing might be exactly what you need. Go for a walk to get some steps in, but otherwise chill out. Relax, unwind and allow your body to recover, fully.

Our final say on workout recovery is this…proper workout recovery is a crucial aspect of the fat loss process that can’t be ignored. Managing your training, nutrition, sleep and mindset are all important factors that you need to get right. 

So take a step back, assess what you’re doing objectively, and ask yourself if you’ve created an environment for growth or physical and mental burnout.