The 5 mistakes people make after a workout

Summer holidays are often an opportunity to devote some of your time to playing sports and getting back in shape. But before jumping in headlong, here are some mistakes to avoid.

Taking advantage of the freshness of the morning to run on the beach is very pleasant. But we must not forget certain basic rules such as avoiding running right after having lunch or fleeing from the hot weather. Today, we are going to list the mistakes that should not be made after a sports session.

Do not take a shower

Did you just run and you're hungry? Don't rush to the kitchen, go through the bathroom first. You have perspired a lot, so you have to go wash yourself to avoid the proliferation of bacteria. In addition, perspiration cools the body, so it is important not to subject your muscles to too drastic a change in temperature.

It is also for this reason that we advise you not to take a cold shower. Start with hot water and gradually lower the temperature. Gently, you will allow your blood to circulate better. Once clean, you can sustain yourself.

Eat like an ogre

Eating after exercising is a good thing, but be careful not to overeat. We should not feel bloated and reduce to nothing all the efforts we have made. Do not hesitate to consume foods rich in protein and low in calories. Eat fruits, cereals, dairy products, eggs, salmon or even chicken.

You can also eat sweet products, but prefer natural sugars which are easily assimilated and which provide essential minerals for good muscle health. Finally, you will be advised to eat within two hours of physical exertion, because it is at this time that the body seeks to replenish its reserves.

Don't stay idle

Are you exhausted after exercising? That's no reason to wallow in your couch. If you do not do any activity after intense physical exertion, your muscles may well stiffen. Walk, cook, take a walk... What is needed is to avoid inactivity.

On the other hand, you will be very badly advised to launch yourself, immediately after sport, into projects that require a lot of effort. Your body needs to rest. So act gently so as not to make your muscles suffer too much.

Watch out for stretching

The question of stretching after sport is debated. Some think that these stretches are essential to avoid aches, others argue that they can damage your muscles. Sports doctors explain that it is better to warm up than to stretch before physical exertion. After intense physical activity, one should not stretch immediately.

It would even seem that stretching immediately after exercise could make the aches worse, because it would increase the small muscle damage caused by the effort. In addition, stretching can block blood circulation. If you want to reduce muscle soreness, stretch gently one hour after exercise. These stretches should not hurt you.

drink anything

After playing sports, you have to drink because sports make you sweat, but let's not go looking for sugary drinks or energy drinks. "They are hyper-sweet, and not necessarily a sugar assimilable to the effort", explains Frédéric Maton, the president of the French Society of Sports Nutrition, in 20 minutes. “And they don't contain any minerals, especially no salt. This leads to a mineral drop through the kidney, hence a cardiac risk on exertion. »

All you need is to drink water. On the other hand, you should not drink half a liter of water at once. Just small sips spaced out throughout the day. 6 or 8 glasses of water a day are more than enough.