Most people take their workouts pretty seriously and are all about going hard in the gym. You’re eager to see the results of your hard work and push yourself to the limit to do so. But how often do you prioritize rest and recovery the same way you do exercise? Too much of anything isn’t good for you, and the same goes with working out. You want to push yourself, but not at the expense of getting hurt or experiencing injury. Rest periods give your body the time it needs to heal from your weekly exercises and avoid burnout. If you’re interested in learning how to improve your rest days and enhance your recovery periods, you’re in the right place. We’ll go over a few tips to help you get started. But first, let’s go over a few reasons why recovery is so important for your wellbeing. Why is Rest & Recovery Important? There are several reasons why you should prioritize rest as part of your workout routine: Muscle Repair : In between workouts, it’s imperative that you get enough rest so your body can repair and regrow its muscle tissue. As you exercise, your muscles form microscopic tears so they can regrow into stronger, thicker tissue, increasing your strength. Without proper recovery, you could disrupt this process and prevent your body from repairing tissue, leading to injury. Prevent Injury : Have you ever tried exercising while you were tired or didn’t have proper form? You probably felt like you weren’t getting all that you could of the workout or weren’t able to perform to the best of your ability. One of the most important parts of hitting the gym is to be safe and practice proper form. It’s easier than you think to hurt your back or lose your balance if you’re tired and haven’t recovered properly, which can eventually lead to injury. Avoid Burnout : To see the fruits of your labor, consistency in the gym is key. Intentional exercise at least 3 times a week will ensure that your body gets the movement it needs, along with other exercise like walks or hikes. When you skip rest days, you put your body through extra trauma that it will have a harder time recovering from, experiencing chronic muscle soreness and pain. As a result, your body won’t have the energy or strength required to perform your exercises, leading to burnout. And when burnout occurs, it can be difficult to come back from. You should take your rest days as seriously as you do gym days so that you don’t face inconsistency, discomfort, and lack of results. Now that we know the benefits of recovery, let’s go through a few helpful tips so you can get started. 5 Tips to Rest & Recover If you aren’t sure how to recover properly, here are a few tips to help you get started. Take Enough Time There are many factors that come into play when deciding how long you need to rest for, such as what kind of training you’re doing, your age, and your current fitness level. There’s no one-size-fits-all, but as a beginner in the gym, you should aim for at least 1 to 3 rest days per week. You might be tempted to go as hard as you can and shorten your recovery time, but this will only work against you. Plus, just because it’s a rest day doesn’t mean you need to sit on the couch with no movement all day. Even a short walk in your neighborhood or hike on a trail is enough to boost dopamine and make you feel good without breaking a sweat. If a hike in nature sounds like something fun to you, join us for our Hike & Meditate event on August 31st at 10 a.m. In partnership with Manzil, FBM welcomes you to Swallow Cliff Woods to explore nature with Breathe & Be Coach Zareen. Members are free to join! If you’re interested in joining us for some outdoor fun before we wrap up the summer, sign up today ! 2. Consume Enough Protein & Carbs Consider what you consume on your days off from the gym. Everyone deserves a cheat day here and there, but are you using rest days as an excuse to consume thousands of unnecessary calories? If so, it might be time to take your hand out of that chip bag. Eating protein and consuming a good amount of carbs will fuel your body with the energy and amino acids it needs. Protein supports optimal muscle recovery so that, when it’s time to return to the gym, you’re well energized and ready for the challenge. Some examples of high-protein foods and carbohydrates you can choose from include: Oats Red meat Bananas Sweet potatoes Oranges Blueberries Quinoa You don’t have to stick to a boring diet just because you want to be healthy. Explore your options in the kitchen to see what you enjoy and how you can implement those ingredients into your everyday meals and snacks. 3. Continue Healthy Practices Just because it’s time to give your muscles a break doesn’t mean you need to become lazy or slack on other habits. Staying consistent in all areas of life is also key to staying consistent in the gym. Yoga and meditation are great ways to stay grounded during recovery days while staying active. Breathwork calms your nervous system and improves your mental health by reducing stress and enhancing emotional regulation. You can also practice mobility drills, which are exercises that improve your joints’ range of motion and flexibility. They also improve blood flow and aid your overall recovery as long as they are low-impact and focused on gentle movements. Some mobility drills you can practice include foam rolling, hip circles, shoulder retractions, and even light walks. 4. Prioritize Sleep It can be easy to underestimate how important sleep is as part of your recovery routine. But because the body repairs and rebuilds tissues while you sleep, it’s essential. On top of that, it also balances hormones, reduces stress, and supports the immune system. The National Library of Medicine found that “sleep is necessary to provide restoration with respect to molecular, cellular, or network changes” (2015). It serves to restore the body to its normal function, especially after rigorous physical activity. 5. Utilize The Right Tools On your days off from the gym, you might consider ways to help your body repair itself and soothe your sore muscles. Compression garments are made of elastic fabric that’s used to apply controlled pressure to the body to improve blood circulation and reduce inflammation. This will reduce muscle soreness and fatigue, speeding up the recovery period. Foam rolling exercises use self-massaging techniques that also reduce muscle soreness as well as increase blood flow, enhance flexibility, and prevent injury. All you have to do is roll back and forth on a foam roller for 30-90 seconds at a time, making sure to avoid rolling directly on your spine or joints. Infrared saunas have also become increasingly popular over the years as a way to wind down between workouts. Unlike a regular sauna, an infrared sauna works at a lower degree level, requires less power, and uses infrared light as a heat source rather than a heat stove. Some benefits of spending time in a sauna include enhanced circulation, better sleep, and reduced stress. And all you have to do is sit! At Fitness By Maryam, we offer our sauna to anyone who’s interested, member or not. We also have Normatec boots which you wear to quicken recovery and relieve muscle soreness. If this sounds like something you’re interested in, book our sauna and boots today !  Join Us at Fitness By Maryam! Any questions? Feel free to reach out to us via email, phone call, or stop by the gym for a tour! We offer both in-person and online Zoom classes so you can enjoy working out from anywhere you choose! You can also check out our upcoming events for this month on Instagram at @FitnessByMaryam . We offer various services like: Personal Training Taekwondo Nutrition & Wellness Coaching Small Group Training Student/Teacher Discounts And More!

Like all areas of life, it’s important to find balance, and that’s no different when it comes to academics and fitness. As busy as life may get, making time for what matters is what will put you on the path to success. Fitness and education both encourage personal growth, discipline, increasing knowledge, and planning for a better future. There are endless benefits to creating routines that help you reach your goals and see tangible results. But sometimes, that’s easier said than done. That’s why changing even a few things in your everyday life can make a huge difference in your productivity. We’ll go over some tips to better balance a busy school schedule and stay active in the gym. But first, let’s go over some of the benefits of balancing studying with exercise. Why is Fitness Important for Students? There are several reasons why it’s crucial to prioritize your health while in school: Enhance Academic Performance : When you exercise and eat right, you stimulate new cell production in the brain. Studies show that physical activity improves academic performance. Basic cognitive functions that facilitate learning are, "enhanced by physical activity and higher aerobic fitness” (2013). Feel Energized : Regular exercise allows you to keep your body energized and improve your memory. It increases the circulation of oxygen and nutrition throughout the body and releases hormones like dopamine and serotonin, which are crucial for motivation and mood. Stay on Top of Tasks : As you learn to juggle school and the gym, it’ll slowly become easier to stay on top of tasks and excel in your studies. And because it boosts those nutritious hormones we just mentioned, you’ll feel more motivated to complete your to-do list with ease. Lower Stress : We already know exercise lowers stress and boosts your mood, so it’s a no-brainer that it’s excellent for students. You already have so much going on in the academic world that it can be easy to put your health on the backburner. But staying committed will pay off in the long run and make you feel amazing even after a long day’s work. Now that we know the main benefits of staying active in school, let’s go over a few tips to help you balance school and health. 5 Tips to Balance Academics and Fitness Plan Ahead Planning ahead is the best way to ensure you have the time every day to incorporate fitness, studying, exams, work, and other responsibilities of life. Just like you’d schedule a dentist appointment, you should regularly schedule time for workouts and studying. Invest in a calendar and block out times at least 3 days a week for workout sessions that gel with your school schedule. These workouts could be anything: Pilates, weightlifting, cardio, you name it. The beauty of it is that you get to choose how you want to exercise. It might be difficult at first, but the more you practice, the easier it’ll be to stick to a routine. And the longer you stick with it, the quicker you’ll see results. 2. Set Realistic Goals The more realistic you are about your journey, the easier it’ll be to stick to. In theory, it’s ambitious to be in the gym for two hours every session, but that doesn’t mean you’ll always be able to meet that time. And that’s okay! The most important thing is to stay consistent. You might do a 30-minute workout one day and a much longer workout the next. As long as you don’t skip when you’re supposed to, then some effort is much better than none. You might be so busy as a student that you don’t have time to commute to the gym every day. If that’s the case, consider taking online classes to stay healthy and still receive guidance from experienced experts. Fitness By Maryam wants to make it as easy as possible for you to achieve your fitness goals, which is why we’re happy to offer discounted rates to students and teachers to support them in their education. Discounts are available to those ages 16+ and include access to all Small Group Training classes, including strength training, Body Slam, Fight Fusion, Breathe & Be, and more. The more realistic you are about your time and how you can use it, the easier it’ll be to stay consistent and see results. 3. Join The Right Gym Perhaps the best way to stay motivated to work out is to exercise in ways that you enjoy. You might not be the fondest of running, but maybe strength training is more your speed. You don’t have to conform to one or two types of exercise if it doesn’t excite you to get active. Another big part of staying active is choosing the right gym and even group classes. For beginners especially, the right facility and instructors can make all the difference in having a positive experience. Have you considered signing up for a fitness challenge or joining a class? If so, Fitness By Maryam might be the place for you. Fitness By Maryam is an all-women facility that offers small group training, personal training, taekwondo, yoga, and more. If you want to boost your fitness journey, join us for Jump Start , our 6-week fitness challenge that incorporates: Nutrition Workouts Habit building Community Accountability This guided challenge runs from September 5th to October 17th. Join us in person at the facility or enjoy your workouts from the comfort of your own home. You’ll gain access to a new nutrition guide every week and will stay accountable through a buddy system so it’s fun and productive! 4. Remember to Rest Just like it’s important to stay active, it’s just as important to prioritize rest days. Your body requires rest in between workouts to repair muscle tissue, prevent injury, and enhance overall performance. It might be tempting at a certain point to work out 7 days a week, but too much of anything isn’t good for you. Allow at least 1-2 days per week to rest based on your individual needs, goals, and intensity. 5. Stay Accountable If you work better by being held accountable, then there are many ways you can do so. Some people rely on a friend to ensure they complete their tasks. Others set reminders on their phones or prefer an in-person environment so it’s easier to stay motivated. Fitness classes or challenges are a great way to get your exercise in no matter what your circumstance may be. And because our latest one, Jump Start , includes a buddy system and weekly check-ins, it’s now easier than ever to stay on track and complete your goals. Join Us at Fitness By Maryam! Any questions? Feel free to reach out to us via email, phone call, or stop by the gym for a tour! We offer both in-person and online Zoom classes so you can enjoy working out from anywhere you choose! You can also check out our upcoming events for this month on Instagram at @FitnessByMaryam . We offer various services like: Personal Training Taekwondo Nutrition & Wellness Coaching Small Group Training Student/Teacher Discounts And More!