What are the best ways to reward yourself after a workout session?
- Indulge in a hearty meal
- Get a massage
- Freshen up
- Laze around
- Take a nap
Motivation isn’t easy to come by these days. Sometimes you have to search deep within yourself to find it, other times you have no choice but to resort to the reward system. Treat yourself after every goal is met either by visiting your local skin care service in the Philippines or thousands worth of clothing and equipment. Methods like this are hit and miss but have you considered applying it to your workout program?
Not many would admit to it but working out—going to the gym or going for a run—isn’t exactly fun. Most of the time it’s the complete opposite—hard, draining, and exhausting—which is why people genuinely hate the activity. However, there is a way to teach yourself to love it. Much like the reinforcement of any good habit, you can learn to love working out through the reward system or what the experts like to call operant conditioning.
Knowing that there is something good at the end of a workout session will motivate you to complete your goals and stick to your plan. To be completely honest, many have succeeded in using this method but many have also failed. But failure is mostly due to setting the wrong rewards. For you not to make the same mistake and succeed in your fitness journey, we have listed the best ways to reward yourself after a workout session.
Indulge in A Hearty Meal
It may seem counterproductive and overly indulgent to have a meal after every workout especially since people view food as the enemy of fitness, but it’s actually the best reward you can give yourself.
Food is necessary; it fuels the brain and body. And your body needs it most after a workout. The extent of your session or physical activity doesn’t even matter. Even if you just ran a few kilometers or trained under an hour, you still need to eat.
Of course, as an adult, you should know better than to indulge in junk food. Although you can have a few bites of your favorite dessert, it is still best to stick to healthy but filling meals that you can genuinely enjoy.
Get a Massage
Getting a massage is more than an excellent reward, it is also a great post-workout recovery method. Having an expert work on the knots on your muscles greatly reduces post-workout soreness and inflammation which ultimately helps speed up recovery.
Aside from this, a great massage will reduce anxiety and back pain, lower your blood pressure, and improve your sleep quality. So if you’re looking for a great reward that offers a lot of benefits, then a massage may suffice.
Freshen Up
You’re bound to be covered in sweat after a hard day’s work in the gym and itching to enjoy a nice long shower and bath. Well, guess what? You can treat those things as your reward for all your work. Of course, you have to spice it up so it really feels like something special and not similar to the baths and showers you take daily.
You can do this by using post-workout shower gels that are infused with different ingredients ginger, grapefruit, and lemon. As for your baths, mix in a few drops of essential oils to the water before you jump in. These elements offer different benefits like relieving aching muscles and slowing down your heartbeat or breathing, making them ideal for a post-workout reward.
Laze Around
If you don’t have the resources to eat out or get a massage or simply can’t be bothered to go to places that offer such services, then know that there’s nothing wrong with heading straight home and doing absolutely nothing. Spend an hour or two doing the things you love like watching your favorite drama or reading your book or just lie down next to your pet or significant other.
The simplest things in life are often the best and you won’t believe how rewarding these daily activities can be after a day at the gym.
Take a Nap
Most people feel wired and energized after a workout and the last thing they want to do is sleep it off, but try to reconsider. Taking a nap is one of the easiest ways to reward yourself because, well, you’re literally doing nothing.
Moreover, if you take it after your body has calmed and you have regained normal breathing speed and blood pressure, it works as an excellent trick that enhances your muscle’s recovery process. So if you’re into a completely free and effortless reward, try lying down and taking a quick nap to revitalize your mind and body.
Key Takeaway
The most important part of the reward system is ensuring that you can guiltlessly enjoy the activity. You can’t reward yourself and then convince yourself later on that what you did was a mistake.
Even if you didn’t fully complete your workout program for the day, you can still benefit from rewarding yourself. Depriving yourself of these things will only demotivate you. So indulge, get a massage, have facial services, lie down, do whatever it takes to make you feel accomplished and rewarded.
Fitness is all about discipline and accountability. As long as you know your limits and stick to the right and appropriate rewards then you have nothing to worry about. You’re guaranteed to see the enjoyment in working out sooner rather than later.