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Q A Nute Guru, I’ve established a workout routine/schedule that works for me, but my progress has stalled and with it my motivation. What can I do to get more out of my workouts? There are some days where dragging yourself out of bed or off the couch to get ready for a tough workout is harder than the actual workout, but when you persevere and get through it, it’s always worth the effort. However, working hard and training on a regular basis is only half the battle my friends! How can we maximize the results of each and every workout? The key concept that I want to drive home today is that continual progress, positive results, and long-term success is just as much about recovery as it is about pushing the envelope. Keep in mind that when we workout, we are, for all intents and purposes, placing large amounts of stress on our cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems, to the point of causing ‘damage,’ so to speak. It is that stress and micro-damage that invokes the human body’s amazing ability to start the rebuilding process. Let’s look at the top 5 ways you can maximize your workouts and kick start the recovery process: Post-Workout Nutrition Following a grueling workout, your body has used up its glycogen stores for energy, your muscles have been placed under a great amount of stress and are ‘damaged.’ With that said, typically you have an ideal recovery window that lasts for about 45 minutes post-workout. Your best bet for starting that rebuilding process is typically a post-workout protein shake containing a high-quality protein supplement in conjunction with a simple carbohydrate source, such as fruit, and a healthy fat, like peanut butter or flax seeds. Rehydration If you were pushing yourself and working intensely, you probably worked up a pretty good sweat. A mere 1–2% loss of body weight through fluid loss would already categorize someone as being dehydrated and negatively affect an individual’s mental and physical performance, not to mention their body’s ability to transport nutrients and oxygen to our cells. Remember, thirst is a red flag from your body that you are already dehydrated, so be sure to drink water even if you don’t feel thirsty. Sleep Counting sheep not only boosts your arithmetic skills, but getting an optimal 7–9 hours of sleep a night also has countless benefits. Among them, some of the huge benefits optimal sleep provides include: reduced inflammation, hormone regulation, and lowered risks for cardiovascular disease and stress. While sleeping, our body is at rest, which provides the perfect environment for all these crucial biological processes to occur with minimal energy demands. Did I mention that achieving optimal sleep has been proven to boost brain function and increase an individual’s life span? Just thought I'd throw in those little tidbits. Continued on next page. Nute Guru “Continual progress, positive results, and long-term success is just as much about recovery as it is about pushing the envelope.” 3 Nutrition Quarterly · 2020 – Volume 2