Your weekend jog was a breeze, and you knocked out five miles before you even felt like you were breaking a sweat, but your feet and arms were dragging like they weighed a thousand pounds during your weight lifting session the next day. Why isn’t every workout a killer workout? Sometimes every step feels so tough.
Want to make every workout feel like a breeze? Consider these evidence-based options for creating the ideal workout environment. You’ll look forward to lacing your shoes up for every jog, picking up every free weight, and swimming every lap.
1. Listen to your favorite music
A 2015 study from McMaster University in Canada revealed subjects worked out harder and longer when they had their favorite tunes available to accompany their workouts. If you have a smartphone, you don’t even need to buy a separate MP3 player and can carry your tunes with an armband.
2. Find your friends & hit the road
It’s 6 AM and your running buddy is waiting for you. Do you hit the snooze alarm one more time, or do you jump out of bed and meet him for your morning jog? You’ll feel better, work out longer, and eliminate procrastination when you meet up with a friend.
3. Keep your focus forward
Resist the temptation to look around and take in the sights while you work out. A study conducted by researchers at New York University found that focusing on a target directly ahead of you can make a walk feel a little shorter when compared to walking with a wandering eye.
4. Look into the light
A fascinating study in 2014 revealed that a dose of bright light about 30 minutes before getting out of bed increased the oxygen flow into your muscles. If you workout in the morning, getting some early morning bright light could make the workout a lot easier.
5. Run the bath water
For a long time, it’s been said that a steaming hot shower after an intense workout would cause bloating or water retention. However, a study from a university in the UK has proven that advice wrong. Researchers found runners performed better in the heat when they had taken hot baths between workouts.
6. Eat your spinach
One of the most notable signs of iron deficiency is fatigue, and it’s no surprise that feeling tired can make it impossible to experience a great workout. Even if you’re not suffering from anemia, maintaining a healthy iron level by eating dark leafy greens can help you feel strong and alert during every workout.
It’s no secret that a healthy lifestyle and diet will help you feel your best every single day. Employ these healthy techniques for improving the quality of your workouts, and those 10 miles on the pavement will feel like five, and those 20 laps in the pool will feel like 10.
