Week six of the Little Black Dress diet: recovery and regeneration

By Dax Moy

While it's very common for people to pay attention to their diet or exercise, it's rare to find people who give any serious thought to their recovery and regeneration (or R and R as I like to call it). We're used to thinking that it's exercise and diet that determines our health and appearance.

You may be surprised to learn that what you eat and how you train are only a tiny part of the health and fitness equation and even more surprised to hear that you may be wasting your time entirely if you don't get your R and R right.

When you train you are actually causing damage and degradation of your muscles and tissues that can only be repaired and improved upon in the recovery phase. Even if your nutrition is fantastic, you'll only go so far to creating the body and health you desire if you neglect your recovery.

R and R is when the body actually improves, not during exercise. It is during this vital phase that the body repairs from the stress applied to it and comes back stronger and more efficient for the next bout of activity. Failure to recover completely can lead to:
- Repetitive strains
- Fatigue
- Sleeplessness
- Nervousness
- Muscle wasting
- Fat deposit
- Stress
- Apathy

All of which will detract from your ability to achieve your long-term goals. Here's how you can prioritise R and R into your daily routine:

1. Post workout nutrition

Within 30 minutes of exercise ensure that you 'top up' your energy with good quality sources of carbohydrates, fats and especially proteins. Doing so will give your body the 'building blocks' to repair and regenerate the tissues 'damaged' by training. Failure to do so may grind all your efforts to a complete halt.

2. Sleep

Sleep researchers have discovered that there is an optimal window for hormone output that ensures better physical recovery and aids mental improvement. Those that are asleep between the hours of 10pm and 2am benefit most from anabolic or 'building' hormones like growth hormone and testosterone which aid physical regeneration whilst those asleep between 2am and 6am seem to benefit most from psychogenic 'mental' repair factors. The moral of the story is that all hours are not created equal. If you want both a physically and mentally stress-free life then seriously consider when you get your eight hours sleep!

3. Relaxation

We live in a 24/7 society where everything is done at pace and crammed into every possible moment available to us. Unfortunately, this creates a situation where our nervous systems become 'sympathetically dominant' or 'switched on'. What most people would understand as 'fight or flight'. Whilst short periods in this state do us little harm, prolonged exposure can tax us far more than most of us realise, leading to 'stress', illness and even disease if left unchecked. Take a 'time out' every day to relax and unwind avoiding synthetic relaxants like cigarettes or alcohol. Many people gain particular benefit from:
- Tai Chi
- Chi Gong
- Yoga
- Walking
- Stretching
- Meditation
- Visualisation
- Reading
- Music
- Massage

It really doesn't matter what it is. Just find some 'me time' every day for at least 15 minutes and you'll be astounded at the effects!

Summary

The POWER Principles introduced here are by no means new or cutting edge. In fact, I hope you'll agree that this information merely represents a return to common-sense for most of us.

I realise that for some people reading this series that the information shared here may be a huge shift from their current beliefs about health and fitness and achieving optimal wellness yet if you're willing to follow the advice given then I'm sure you'll experience benefits in health, vitality and physical appearance.

You've really got nothing to lose have you? And you could gain far more than you ever expected!