CARDIO days, running sessions and lifting weights can be good for all of us but rest and recovery is also essential.
Rest days allow the body’s muscles to recover and repair, which in turn builds strength.
Here are ways to make sure a big workout doesn’t end up being detrimental
And if you don’t refuel correctly after a big workout, it can be detrimental to your body.
Here, Jane Atkinson looks at ways to bring some balance to your sporty life . . .
PROTEIN TEA
Runners should have 15 to 30grams of this within 30 minutes to an hour of finishing a workout
WE have all gone potty for protein. And if you run, like those pounding the streets today in the London Marathon, then the power of protein should never be overlooked.
Within 30 minutes to an hour of finishing a workout, runners should have 15 to 30grams.
It helps speed muscle repair which can continue for as long as 72 hours.
Myvegan has brilliant new product Clear Protein Superblend.
I tried the Peach Tea flavour, which has 18g of protein, five minerals and is just 88 calories per serving.
It tastes amazing, just like peach tea, without being overly sweet or heavy.
It is made from upcycled barley and rice from the brewing industry, too, which would otherwise go to waste, plus peach juice powder.
Currently £17.99 for 20 servings, myvegan.com.
Electrolyte powders
If you’ve lost electrolytes to sweat, you need to refuel
THE average athlete loses one to three litres of sweat an hour.
This is mainly water but also electrolytes that have essential roles in the body to help regulate chemical reactions and maintain the balance between fluids inside and outside your cells.
So, if you have lost them through sweating, you need to refuel.
Powdered hydration brand Liquid IV has launched in the UK.
Its electrolyte powders in travel sachets feature seven essential vitamins and minerals – B3, B5, B6, B12, C, sodium and potassium.
I tried the strawberry flavour, which dissolved easily and tasted great, with 45 calories per 16g stick.
The only downsides were the fact that the main ingredient is sugar, and there is a lack of magnesium.
From £7.50 for six, Boots.com.
Shoe recovery
A recovery is a great way to decrease muscle fatigue, tightness and soreness
YOUR feet take a pounding during exercise. If you are running a long distance, a recovery shoe is a great way to help decrease muscle fatigue, tightness and soreness.
Oofos has just released its Sport London slides, which are designed to give support and comfort to your feet and joints during your recovery process, reducing the risk of injury.
They are said to absorb 37 per cent more impact than traditional footwear foams.
They can also reduce the energy exertion in the ankles by up to 20 per cent.
They are so comfortable. I love that they allow your feet to spread but you can feel them massaging the arch when you walk, which feels amazing after a run.
£65 oofos.co.uk.