How To Treat Yourself After A Tough Workout

You’ve been sweating it out hard, and you think you deserve a little reward… So what’s the best way to treat yourself following a super tough workout?

Before we share our best ideas, let’s first get back to basics…

It’s time to ditch the “push and pull” mentality we’re often fed! News flash: you don’t have to workout at a crazy high intensity to “earn” a treat. You deserve a treat regularly, regardless of your workout routine.

In fact, giving yourself regular treats prevents things like binge eating, burnout, and other nasties. The truth of the matter is, you don’t need to earn or work off a treat, you deserve regular indulgences and treats, in the form of delicious food and relaxation.

So now that’s out of the way, let’s dive into our favourite ways to treat yo’self!

A treat can be anything that brings you joy… Or makes you feel restored and rejuvenated. It can be a deliciously indulgent food, or a form of self care. It’s individual to you and what brings you peace and respite.

If you’re in need of some inspo, our favourite “treats” include:

• A relaxation or sports massage. Massages not only offer some incredible physical benefits, like improved circulation and recovery from your workouts, relief of sore muscles and prevention or treatment injury, they also have such a profound impact on your state of mind. Ever walked out of a seriously zen, pampering massage sesh and felt like you were floating on air? Us too. This is the ultimate treat when your body (and your brain) are in need of a little love and luxury.

• Your favourite food. Notice how we didn’t say you’re favourite “cheat” food? Enjoying your fave food or meal is an excellent way to treat yourself - but this doesn’t necessarily have to be a sugar-laden, super sweet, OTT dessert. It can be whatever you love the most - whether that’s pasta, a cheese board, a block of chocolate, or a salad with some lean protein. If there’s a certain meal that makes you smile, and helps you feel fantastic, turn to it - It’s the perfect reward.

• Saunas. The emerging research into the benefits of infrared and traditional saunas are truly mind blowing...making them not only a fabulous treat to yourself following a gruelling workout, but also a way to get some serious health benefits into your day. Not only do saunas promote better sleep, relief from muscle aches and soreness, improved recovery, and lower blood pressure, they also enhance relaxation - making them the MVP of ways to treat yourself after a tough sesh in the gym! They’re a little bit fancy, and a lot restorative, so make them part of your “treat time” toolkit.

• Rest! Rest days are a seriously underrated way to treat yourself after a big session in the gym. The plain and simple truth is this: your muscles, cardiovascular system, and in fact your entire body, need rest! In order to perform at your best, recover properly, prevent injury and maintain your love of your workouts, you need to schedule in rest days each week. These will actually improve your results and performance, and help you feel energised and excited each time you step into the gym. So after your next big sweat session, consider scheduling in a rest day the following day as a reward or “treat” for your hard work.

• Read your favourite book. Sound corny? Reading a book - particularly a fiction novel - can be a great way to treat yourself after a big session. Fiction not only gives you a mental escape from the persistent demands of everyday life (of which there are many, we get it), it also allows you to enter a completely fictitious world, in which there are no pressures or expectations on you. You have the chance to take a true mental time out, a break from your reality. This is so wonderful for promoting creativity, and allowing your mind to recover from a gruelling session - and perhaps even a gruelling week of work amidst other commitments. Allowing yourself the time and space to separate from the pressure and busyness of daily life is an incredible way to treat yourself.

There you have it, some of our fave tried and tested “treats” to add to your toolbox! Next time you’ve sweat it out, and feel the need for a little pat on the pack in acknowledgment of your efforts, give these a go! And remember, even if you haven’t smashed yourself in a sweaty session, you still deserve regular “treats” and rest! 

Want more health, nutrition and fitness advice, and all things in between? Head to our blog for loads of tips, tricks and strategies to up your game today!