You’re not alone if you always have to force yourself to work out. Let’s be honest; while exercising is technically an act of self-care, actually doing it can feel like a real punishment. So, you probably end your gym days feeling like you’ve battered your body, rather than given it exactly what it needs.

The good news is that the self-care benefits of each workout will ultimately make themselves known, but that doesn’t help you to face up to the grueling task on the day. So what could? Well, there are all sorts of tips and tricks out there to get yourself into regular gym habits, but do you know what we recommend? A simple bit of post-gym self-care. 

This ensures that you get a little precious me-time to look after yourself every time you hit the gym. As well as giving you a great incentive, you may find that efforts like these help your gym journey overall. Keep reading, as we consider the best self-care tips for gym-goers to look after themselves in those post-gym hours. 

# 1 – Cool Down With Deep Breathing

Cool-down exercises are obviously important, but remember that their main purpose is to slow your heart rate and calm yourself down. With that in mind, you don’t necessarily need to jump back into gentle exercises when your body is already screaming at you. You can actually get the same results by just doing a little deep breathing. 

This kind of mindfulness-based post-workout routine, which could include gentle yoga options like child’s pose, as well as counted breathing exercises, is fantastic for bringing your nervous system back down to earth. It also gives you a chance to really enjoy that post-workout glow, and just take a few minutes for yourself, which might be the first and only time you’ll get to do that each day. 

The chances are that you’ll come to love this post-workout habit so much that you don’t mind actually working out in the same way you once did. 

# 2 – Find a Way to Reflect

Working out often means pushing your body and mind to their limits. Then, you just get right up and carry on with your day like it never happened. In reality, though, taking time to reflect on your workouts can be a far better way to enjoy their benefits, improve your next session, and generally enter a great headspace. 

Of course, you’ll do this to some extent with your breathing, which will buy you a little mental peace from which to view your workout. But it might also be worth investing in a fitness journal. You can fill this however you like, either with general reflections about your thoughts during that workout, or about more specific details, such as what you thought worked well or not during your workout itself. 

This is a crucial practice, which can be great for your mental health, and can ensure that, next time you head to the gym, you’re armed with a detailed outline of what you’d like to repeat, and what you could do better. 

# 3 – Hop in the Shower

Experts don’t generally recommend bathing until about twenty minutes after an exercise session to avoid sudden blood pressure dips, but do you know what can really invigorate you right after a workout? A tepid shower! 

While it might not be a long luxurious soak, a post-workout shower is great for practical reasons, because it cleans off your workout grime with ease. From a self-care point of view, showering is also useful because it gives you time to calm down, reenergize, and even use your favorite pampering products as you wash. A cool shower can also aid physical recovery, meaning that you’re less likely to experience aches and pains, and can get straight down to a comfortable evening instead. 

# 4 – Get Comfortable

Speaking of getting comfortable, this is the next step on our self-care list. After all, you won’t exactly feel relaxed if you slip back into your sweaty gym clothes after all of that self-care effort. Instead, it’s worth keeping some comfortable post-gym outfits that are light, loose, and easy to put on over your aching muscles. These should be clean out of the wash and laid out ready before you leave for the gym, so that their promise helps to really push you through. 

Now is also a great time to think about getting comfortable despite any aching muscles. That might mean reaching for a shoulder brace to alleviate post-exercise soreness, or taking a little time to apply a muscle rub to sore areas like your quads. Not only will these small nods to your body make you feel physically better,  but they can be incredibly relaxing, and allow you to unwind in more comfort than you would’ve had even if you just stayed home instead. 

# 5 – Refuel

So you’re calm, clean, and comfortable. Now it’s time to refuel, because there’s nothing worse than that shaky post-workout feeling when you haven’t eaten. Eating the right things after a workout can also make a huge difference to everything from muscle recovery to future muscle growth. But you can’t just grab a ready meal and be done here. 

Instead, a post-workout refuel should also be carefully curated with self-care and health in mind. Take a little time before your workout to prepare a meal like a fruit salad, boiled eggs, or homemade trail mix containing plenty of good stuff. Again, knowing that these tasty treats are waiting for you will likely get you through your workout. It’ll also ensure that you eat better than you probably would if working out wasn’t a regular part of your routine, and that can make this post-exercise period feel like a real treat that’s well worth putting the energy in for! 

Working out isn’t always an easy thing to do, but you can get both your mind and body on board with these top tips for a post-gym self-care routine that makes every session better.