Rest is
important for many reasons. Rest days give you a time to recover both
physically and mentally. When you push yourself hard for days on end, you need
to give your body time to recover. Rest days help keep you fresh and help
muscles rebuild – making them stronger and bigger.
Even elite athletes take rest and recovery days, so you can
too!
Rest days are a perfect time to recover both mentally and physically. It gives your body and your mind an opportunity to repair and rebuild.
Getting enough sleep, eating plenty of protein, and staying hydrated are key to optimize your rest days.
Sleep – Go to bed early and get the sleep your body needs. As an adult, you need 7-8 hours of sleep each night to function at your best. One tip to help you get the most out of your sleep: Turn off all your technology (cell phones, video games and, TV) 30 minutes before you go to bed. Seriously, you will sleep better. J
Protein – Eat at least one serving of lean protein with all of your meals. Choose eggs, chicken, steak, turkey, salmon or fish. Protein can also be found in quinoa, beans, nuts, spinach, and Greek yogurt. (BTW – pepperoni, hot dogs, chicken nuggets, or a MacDonald’s burger doesn’t count J)
Make sure you include a least one protein source high in omega-3 fatty acids every day. Omega -3 fatty acids are found in foods like salmon, herring, walnuts and flaxseed. Omega-e fatty acids help with inflammation and muscle repair. Salmon is one of our family’s favorite meals, particularly this recipe: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/crispy-skin-salmon-with-miso-honey-sauce
Getting extra protein through a shake is an option too. Choose your shake carefully. Read the ingredient label. Can you identify real food or is it just a bunch of chemicals? Look for a shake without artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners or added sugar. Sugar is often disguised by many names – most common in shakes: dextrin and maltodextrin.
Hydration – Even though the weather is cooler, you still need to drink plenty of water. Remember to drink ½ your body weight in ounces.
Take care of yourself, make your rest days count and then be ready to hit it hard.