Why it’s important to reward yourself after a workout

As someone who genuinely loves to work out and will hop at the chance to give the latest up-and-coming exercises a go, I’m well aware that I am a rare breed of human. Despite what health and wellness bloggers or your personal trainer want you to think, not every routine is all fun and games – and a lot of people genuinely hate working
out for that reason.

The key to working out is to find programmes you actually like, stick to them, and establish how to reward yourself after a workout – which is the best form of motivation. Like anything else, it takes a decent amount of trial and error to find what programmes and workout schedules work for you and make you smile.

So, while you work out what exercise routines work for you, here area few ways to reward yourself:

Don’t wait until after the workout to reward yourself

A common misconception about rewarding yourself for exercising is that the prize can only come post-workout, but
that doesn’t have to be the case. Simple things like going for a run surrounded by nature is enough of an incentive.
For me, simple stretching and looking up at the vastness of the sky somehow helps to disperse strong emotions and
my unwillingness to work out. Try it out, it totally works out.

Take a nap

I usually have the most energy after a workout, my heart rate is up and the adrenaline is flowing, the last thing I want to do is sleep. However, napping is one of the simplest ways to reward yourself after training. In fact, it’s an
excellent trick to enhance your muscles’ recovery process. So after your body has calmed down, it might be beneficial to catch some sleep if you can.

ALSO SEE: Understanding sleep and how to get more of it

Document accomplishments

Rewarding yourself after a workout with material things and delicious food is definitely an option, but sometimes all the encouragement you need is to acknowledge even the smallest of milestones – and give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back. When you set a goal that is a little overreaching, or that takes more time to achieve, it can be disheartening if you are not seeing dramatic results after putting in the work. A good way to track your progress is to keep a journal to jot down notes after every workout. Record the weight you used in each exercise, how many reps you completed and – most importantly – how each routine makes you feel physically and mentally. This helps to motivate you and keeps you pushing until you reach that goal. It is also one of the best ways to look at how far you’ve come.

Indulge in something sweet (or savoury)

It’s a shame that somewhere along the line, food seemingly became the enemy to fitness. It often doesn’t matter if you run 5km every day if you consume triple the amount of calories burnt. Food is fuel, food is necessary, and food is meant to be enjoyed, regardless of how many sit-ups you can do in 30 seconds. That being said, when you begin to work out more, you become hungrier. Reward yourself by fuelling your body with delicious, healthy foods, but also treating yourself to your favourite cookie from time to time isn’t a sin. The key, is to remember that fitness is, above all things, about discipline and accountability. In other words, should you be eating an entire slab of chocolate
after every workout? Probably not, but you should absolutely treat yourself to one or two blocks at a time.

ALSO SEE: Revenge body: how to stay motivated to lose weight

Indulge in ‘me time’

A great way to reward yourself after a tough workout is to spend a little time doing what you truly enjoy. Read a book, sip a coffee or your favourite smoothie or binge a few episodes of your latest Netflix obsession.

Treat your feet

Our feet are the unsung heroes of our workouts. They endure heavy weight, repetitive pounding, quick turning and
are always ready for more. So, if you’ve had a particularly tough workout, make sure you give your feet some attention. Get a foot massage, go for a pedicure, use some fancy foot cream, or simply soak your feet in warm water and salts at home.

About the author: 

Letshego Zulu is a qualified biokineticist and cofounder of PopUpGym.
Follow her on Instagram @letshego.zulu; Twitter: @letshegom; Facebook: Letshego Zulu

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