Are you planning to get that toned and chiseled body this year? Workouts are very important for you to have a good, healthy and well-functioning body. Working out with proper consistency is important for achieving desired fitness goal. Creating a workout plan will help you to achieve greater consistency. What you do before you actually workout is also pretty important as that directly impacts how effective your workout will be. Establishing a pre-workout routine will help you enhance your muscle gain, strength as well as boosting your weight loss.
- Make Sure You Sleep Well the Night Before
A poor night of sleep has been shown to affect your focus and memory. So unless you get a good night’s sleep then your workout will not be as effective as before but you’re also a lot more likely to bunk your workout session the next day. Sleep will help you recover from anything-sleep is the best medicine so consequently a night of quality sleep will ensure that you’re at your best. Sleep improves both your mental and physical stamina, stabilizes hormones, and improves endurance and speed as well as aiding in muscle memory.
- Hydration and Nutrition 60 to 90 Minutes Before Training
Water makes up 60% of our bodies and nothing is as dangerous as working out when you are dehydrated. It is crucial that you are hydrated prior to your work out, drink a minimum of half a liter to 1 liter of water prior to working out. It is a known fact that exercising when hydrated tends to give much better results as compared to when you’re not hydrated.
Here are some pre-workout snacks you can try:
- Fruit and Nut Bars
- Plain low-fat or non-fat yogurt
- Smoothies are great pre-workout snacks as they are easy to digest and also pack lot of nutrition. Smoothies are light, hydrating and cool your body, they also contain liquid, carbohydrates, calcium and dairy products. They are also pretty easy to prepare, especially if you have smoothie containers on hand and are on a tight schedule.
- Fresh beet and peach or nectarine salad
- 1 Slice whole-wheat toast with jam
- High protein energy bars
- Make Sure to Warm-Up and Stretch
Ever had to jump out of bed because you missed your alarm? A lot of us have been there but in your rush, don’t skip your warm-up routine as it will leave with injuries and cramps that may be harmful in the long term. Warming and stretching helps loosen the muscles which allow them to function better in the fill range of motion that you require during your workout. And, warming up also helps to prevent common gym injuries like muscle pulls or tears. The goal is to warm-up and not to exhaust yourself so start with simple aerobics and gradually move on to the dynamic exercises.
- Review Your Workout
Reviewing your workout is key part of very workout. Don’t waste time figuring out what you’re going to do once you get to the gym. Instead of wasting time like this, it is best to plan it out before coming to the gym. Make a schedule and write out the exercises you want to do first. This will save you time and allow you to focus on your workout more. This might sound obvious but don’t get distracted and make sure to review your workout
- Make a Great Gym Playlist
Listening to music when you hit the gym to improve your workout isn’t exactly a new concept. But understanding which is your favorite tunes helps enhance your exercise is a little less obvious. Our bodies tend to adapt to a certain tune as soon as the song plays so the best way to ensure that your body is totally psyched up for the workout is by creating your own high-on-energy playlist. Sports activity often includes fatigue and pain and the role of music in this case is to distract the mind from the pain caused by the sports activity. A great playlist can make your workout session much more fun and also a lot easier according to the jive of your music.
In short…Planning, Playlists and Smoothies-The Secret Ingredients to achieving that Chiseled Body
Many of us have the desire to workout and get fit but lack of time, motivation and proper preparation usually come between you and that fit body. Following fitness routine regular before your workout will keep you feeling revived both physically and mentally. When you exercise with consistency, your muscles will develop gradually and your mind will experience reduced levels of stress and greater relaxation. By planning your workouts, building a great workout and a perfect playlist you too can get that chiseled body you’ve always wanted.
Author Bio:
Nora White is the digital marketing manager for SANS. She has been an advocate of a healthy lifestyle for over 2 decades and loves to keep herself updated with the latest in clean eating and green living. When not at work, you can find her at a hot yoga class or writing to educate and help her readers come one step closer to a healthier lifestyle. In her free time, she loves to travel with her husband and two boys, and hike with friends.