Whether you’re a dedicated sport enthusiast or an outdoor type, we all know that maintaining fitness is the surest way to enduring health and happiness. And however you get your endorphin kick, there are few better ways to recover from vigorous exercise than a soak in the tub.
Our Fitness range of Fitness Bath Oil and Fitness Body Oil harness the potent power of essential oils in a specialist blend for hardworking muscles. Including warming Indian Bay and Clove Bud oils as well as gentle Lavender oil, your body will be left soothed and calm.
Great for use both before and after exercise, apply Fitness Body Oil before a workout and your muscles will be warmed, primed for exercise.
Helping your body recover in other ways, here are a few tips to improve your performance and optimise results, from what and when you eat to how you care for muscles before and after exercise.
Eat Right
Eating right after vigorous exercise (ideally within an hour) is the best way to replenish stores of fuel in your muscles.
Complex carbohydrates are the simple answer – adding full fat, natural yoghurt, nuts, seeds and berries to porridge is great after your morning workout. If you prefer a smoothie, simply blend half a banana, cashews, chia seeds, coconut milk and a handful of spinach.
If savoury is your thing, try eggs on sourdough rye with smoked salmon and avocado, drizzled in a little olive oil.
Drink Up
Most people finish exercise dehydrated, so make sure you’re not one of them.
A large glass of warm water with the juice of half a lemon and a dash of raw apple cider vinegar is fantastically hydrating. If you’re not keen on plain water, try herbal tea – or you can’t beat electrolyte rich, coconut water for optimal hydration.
Coffee on an empty stomach is almost never a good idea, but before a workout it will rev you up and release sugars from the liver, allowing you to switch into fat burning mode faster.
And Stretch
For those of us who spend a lot of time sitting (that’s most of us) regular stretching is crucial. We find a quick yoga cat and cow stretch at the beginning and end of the day helps not just to loosen up, but to also maintain a healthy spine.
Step 1 – get onto your hands and knees, with knees hip width apart. Start with spine neutral.
Step 2 – with feet flat and relaxed, arch your back as high as you can, head down, into cat pose. Breathe.
Step 3 – To get into cow pose, tuck your toes under and reverse the move, with head held high and tilted as far back as you can. Repeat up to 20 times.
We also love quick hand and wrist stretches – bending fingers backwards and hands forwards a few times before shaking them out, to help keep stiffness at bay.