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My clients know that getting results means they must exercise a minimum of 5 hours per week and that half of this time should be spent strength-training.

Although my clients are getting the results they want, I can’t help but notice how exhausted they often seem before their workouts. Getting the body we want often comes along with that nagging and aching feeling of always being exhausted, but it doesn’t have to.

I train 6-7 days/week for 1-3.5 hours a day and seldom take a day off. My inner-beast can always perform the demands placed upon it because I have learned very important recovery strategies along the way. Today I want to share my secrets for success with you so that you can continue to train at least 5 hours every week without ever feeling like you’re out of gas!

1) Sleep More!

• During deep sleep, aka R.E.M, our brains excrete important recovery hormones into our bodies. One of the most important naturally occurring hormones for recovery is Growth Hormone.
• The chances of experiencing R.E.M improve with increased sleep time. For optimal muscle recovery, I suggest aiming for 8 hours of sleep per night.
• The body makes up for sleep deprivation by requiring more calories per day. If weight-loss is your goal, then sleep is your best-friend!
• Cortisol, a stress-hormone, increases the body’s ability to store body fat. The less you sleep, the more elevated your cortisol levels typically become.

2) Incorporate natural anti-inflammatory foods into your diet:

• Blueberries
• Pineapple
• Tea
• Cocoa
• Spices: Garlic/Tumeric
• Omega-3s: Walnuts, salmon, hemp, flax seed (or 1-2 servings of Omega-3 Supplement)

3) Avoid Natural Inflammatory foods in your diet

• Saturated Fats
• Processed Foods
• Vitamin E
• Too much Omega-6 relative to Omega-3 (it is best to maintain a 3:1 ratio)

4) Eat More Protein

Muscle repair requires an increase in protein intake. Ideal protein intake should be 1 gram of protein per pound of body-weight.

For example, a 130 lb individual that exercises regularly (3-6 hours/week) should consume 130 grams of protein per day. If you need a better idea of what that measures out as, then five palm-sized chicken breasts equals approximately 130 grams of protein.

5) Bath in Epsom Salt

Epsom salts contain high quantities of magnesium, a mineral that most hard training athletes are deficient in. This mineral can be taken orally, but the benefits of bathing in it supersede taking it in capsule form.

When magnesium is absorbed through the skin, it bypasses the stomach and liver and enhances blood magnesium levels more so than through supplementation. Stomach discomfort, a frequent complaint of those who ingest magnesium orally, is also avoided when magnesium is absorbed through the skin.

Magnesium has the ability to cause the nervous system to relax and the heat from the bath relaxes the muscles. When these factors are combined you get a powerful recovery-promoting effect.

6) Supplements

I always prefer the “all-natural” path to healing before I go for supplements. If you need help recovering beyond tips 1-5, then here are some supplements that I recommend:

• A) liquid whey or isolate protein shake mixed with water immediately proceeding your weight-training sessions
• B) Drink BCAAs during your weight-lifting session or any exercise session exceeding 90 minutes
• C) Take L-Glutamine in powder or capsule form immediately after weight-lifting and right before bed. It is easy to find this combined in whey protein formulas.
• D) Supplement on Zinc-Magnesium-B6 capsules (ZMA) just before going to sleep to boost naturally-occuring growth hormone levels during sleep. Growth hormone is crucial for muscle recovery.
• E) Supplement on L-Ornithine just before going to sleep to boost naturally-occuring growth hormone levels during sleep. Growth hormone is crucial for muscle recovery.

***All of these supplements can be found at www.bodybuilding.com. Please contact me if you have any questions on brand names or doses at lauren@laurenkern.com***