Are you doing things that undermine your workout efforts after you’ve worked out Any trainer will tell you that the real progress happens after you hit the gym (because that’s when your muscles are recovering and rebuilding).

1. Forget to Stretch

Exercise puts a lot of tension to your muscles including your heart and after your exercise you should stretch to release tension and increase your flexibility. Studies also show that it reduce the pain or muscle ache the next day.

2. Skipping to cool down

Exercises or workouts make our heart beat faster enabling us to need more oxygen for our heart as the circulation of blood also increases. After we exercise it’s not advisable to just lie down or sit down and rest. Instead shift your exercise into a more lighter stretching like walking, treadmill or light aerobics in order for our heart rate to return to its normal heart beat.

If you totally stop your exercise after a vigorous one it will only lead to injury because your heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen, as well as your blood circulation is in higher rate. If you stop suddenly it may result to a drop in blood pressure causing you to get dizzy.

3. Not changing your clothes

Workout clothes are comfortable to your body but you still need to change clothes. Not only because you might stink but because it may also lead to yeast infection as studies showed. So better hurry and change clothes when you come home.

4. Getting away without showering

Although some people still smell good after workout it’s still necessary to do a quick shower. Like what we see in athletes when their coaches tell them ‘Hit the showers’. The main reason to it, is that when we perspire and it dried out in our skin, it can lead to bacterial growth that may cause skin allergy like rashes.

5. Snack out afterwards

Eating high protein foods can help your muscles repair and form in a good shape. You should eat protein-rich foods combined with carbohydrates like protein shake or yogurt with berries and nuts. You must eat after 15-30 minutes after your exercise. It will not only help your muscles repair but also fuel you up for the loss energy from exercise.

6. Thinking it’s alright to eat anything if you’re working out

Many people tend to eat anything after their workout, believing that they already loss enough calories. Studies showed that its okay to eat once in awhile your favorite food. But you must always take note to eat in a healthy way or the workout you just had, will have no effect.

7. Forget to hydrate

You need to drink lots of water after workout to replenish the lost liquid in your body, to improve your strength and flexibility and to help reduce muscle soreness.

8. Skimping Sleep

Another essential thing to do when you do intense workout is have enough sleep. Your body needs to revitalize and energize every part of your system and start building your muscles. If you didn’t get enough sleep afterwards then its like your punishing your own body. After beating it, you don’t let it recover and repair your body tissues to be more strong and flexible.

BDST: 1629 HRS, APR 12, 2015