Working out regularly can become your ticket to mental and physical wellness, but doing the same routine for months can eventually lead to boredom. Once this happens, you’ll likely lose the motivation and interest to continue working out.
If you’ve memorized your workout routines, but are still not getting the results you want, consider upgrading your workout. Making little changes can boost the efficacy of your workouts, especially when these are incorporated regularly. In fact, changing certain aspects of your workout can make your regime more interesting and motivate you to sweat regularly again.
Here are five ways for you to make the most out of your next workout session:
- Limit Your Workouts To 30-40 Minutes
Working out for long periods doesn’t always equate to better and faster results. If you work out for two hours at the gym, but only use the treadmill, don’t expect that you can lose weight or build muscles fast.
If you want to make the most out of your next workout, limit your sessions to 30 to 40 minutes. As long as you engage in high-intensity workouts, spending this little time exercising is enough for you to achieve your fitness goals.
Some of the most common high-intensity workouts you can do are pull-ups or chin-ups with the aid of a pull up assist band or high-intensity interval training using kettlebells, jump ropes, and exercise loops. Speed walking and plyometric exercises are also great options.
- Listen To Music
Wearing headphones when working out has become commonplace nowadays. In fact, you won’t be able to find people working out at the gym or biking around their neighborhoods without their headphones on. Aside from being a fashion statement, do you know that listening to music can also affect your performance when working out?
Studies have proven that listening to music can positively impact your performance when working out in many different ways. For one, listening to music allows for faster recovery because it brings your heart rate down faster. Music is also a great motivator because it prevents you from hearing demotivating sounds in your environment, such as heavy breathing.
When choosing which music to listen to when working out, consider the tempo and rhythm. Ideally, you should listen to music with fast and strong beats, like hip-hop, because these can bring your heartbeat up.
- Remember To Refuel
Post-workout nutrition should be part of your workout regime because the food you’ll consume after your exercise can affect your body’s ability to restore and repair muscle proteins. Your body loses energy when you work out, which is why it’s important to refuel after sweating.
For your body to recover faster from your workout, eat food that contains healthy carbs and proteins after your workout. Some of your best options include grilled chicken with roasted vegetables, salmon with sweet potatoes, and tuna and crackers. You can also consume cottage cheese, fruit, and oatmeal.
To help your body replace glycogen stores (energy) and help your muscles recover, eat your post-workout meals within 45 minutes.
- Always Warm-Up
Regardless of how pumped you are to work out, you should never skip warming up. Contrary to popular belief, warming up before every workout is necessary because it gradually dilates your blood vessels, so your muscles are properly supplied with oxygen when you start to workout. Warming up also increases the temperature of your muscles for better performance and flexibility.
If you want to make the most out of your next workout session, don’t forget to warm up. You can try out a few reps of leg swings, jumping jacks, lunges, or squats before you start your workout. You can also do some lateral shuffles, knee bends, and ankle circles for variety.
- Lift Weights
One of the biggest misconceptions people have when it comes to working out is that lifting weights is only for bodybuilders. Some women even avoid lifting weights because they think that this can cause their muscles to bulk, and they’ll eventually lose their femininity. This isn’t true because lifting weights is actually beneficial regardless of what your fitness goals are.
So, another way for you to make the most out of your next workout is to start lifting weights. Doing so keeps your bones strong and healthy, staves off diseases, boosts metabolism and fat loss, and improves posture. Lifting weights can also boost your confidence, which can be beneficial to your mental health.
When lifting weights, make sure to start small and have someone check your form. Gradually increase your weights as you go along to give time to your body to adjust.
Work With Your Doctor
Exercising regularly is key to a healthy lifestyle, but make sure to consult your doctor before making any changes to your routine. Lifting weights, for example, might not work best for you if you’ve suffered injuries in the past or are currently diagnosed with bone diseases.
By consulting your doctor, you’ll know how to make the most out of your next workout without putting your health and safety on the line.