Doing sports is fun and keeps you fit. But regeneration after training is at least as important. Because if you train every day or even twice a day and are not a competitive athlete, at some point you will no longer feel the positive aspects of sport: tiredness during exercise, heavy legs, a bad mood, restless sleep and no desire to train are the symptoms of a lack of regeneration. Only from periods of rest can the body also derive the desired benefits from training by increasing its energy reserves and boosting organ and muscle strength. However, all this happens only after training, not during it. For this, the body needs time between the individual loads. And the recreational athlete does not have to spend this time lounging on the couch.
Immediately after exercise, it is important to rebalance the body's fluid balance, preferably with water, spritzers or electrolyte drinks. Fast-acting carbohydrates, such as a banana, replenish energy stores, healthy fats like those from nuts and avocados help repair muscle cells, and protein, such as from cottage cheese, helps muscle grow. But there are other ways to help the recovery process: If you've had a hard run, you can take an ice-cold shower on your legs afterwards - this stops inflammatory processes in the muscles. Those who enjoy a massage also regenerate, because the improved blood circulation supplies the stressed tissue with fresh nutrients. This also works with self-massage on massage rollers, which loosens agglutinated muscle structures.
Active regeneration is also possible the day after exercise: a round of cycling, a walk, a hike in the mountains or an hour of yoga are conceivable. One of the most important regeneration factors is often underestimated: sleep! The body uses the time in which one slumbers blissfully to restore damaged structures. Experts recommend about seven hours of sleep, and for those who train very hard, an even greater amount is recommended. And then the body and mind feel like training again the next day.