4 Ways You’re Ruining Your Workout

Do you spend hours at the gym perfecting your rock-hard body, only to get little results? Well, your problem may not be what you’re doing inside the gym, but rather outside of it. As men, we tend to spend a lot of time and energy pumping iron, but forget about everything else that goes into our body. However, to sculpt the muscles that you want, you need to think about the entire package. Be sure to avoid the following detrimental activities to get you big and ripped.

Not Eating the Right Breakfast

It’s true what they say about breakfast being the most important meal of the day. Your morning fitness routine should include a protein-rich breakfast to maintain your appetite throughout the day and prevent snacking. Some great examples of a hearty breakfast include a ham and vegetable omelet, flour-based pancakes, and a breakfast burrito with beans. You should also start drinking water as soon as you wake up. Your body is most likely dehydrated after a night’s rest and it’s important that you re-hydrate and replenish your body to get maximum results in the gym.

Taking an Ibuprofen After a Workout

Yes, we know it hurts after a good gym session, but with no pain, there’s no gain. No matter how tempting an ibuprofen may be, you need to work past the urge. Taking painkillers actually inhibits the synthesis of proteins and can prevent muscle growth. So, stopping the pain will also stop your gain.

Skipping Rest Days

Many of us get obsessed with spending all of our free time at the gym. However, your body needs rest so that your muscles can grow. You don’t actually build muscles at the gym, but rather when your body is at rest. Therefore, you should take at least one or two days a week to simply stretch out and relax your muscles. You can use these days to take up yoga or take a stroll through the park.

Not Getting Enough Sleep

Working out isn’t just a physical activity. When your brain isn’t in the right place, you can’t have a fulfilling gym session. The amount of sleep you need depends on your daily activity level, the intensity of your workouts, your diet, and the amount of stress in your life. However, if you’re building muscle, you generally need more sleep than the average person. Getting less than six hours of sleep a night can reduce your coordination and diminish your body’s ability to build and repair muscle tissue.

Although you spend many hours at the gym, your time could be wasted if you partake in any of these activities. Take care of your body during all hours of the day, and you will start to see amazing results.

Written by Jennifer Dawson

#Lifestyle #Workout