5 Must-Haves To Get Your Best Workout

Wayyyyyy too often do I see people wasting their precious time by not getting the most out of their workouts. So many of us have been there too - not feeling motivated, sluggish, doing the same exercises every single time we go, not giving our bodies the recovery it needs, getting distracted. It happens. 

That wasted time adds up fast! I mean -- come on, if you work out 5 times a week for about an hour, that's 20 hours a month wasted, 240 hours a year wasted. 

Not anymore! I am sharing with you my 5 must-haves to get the absolute most out of your workout. Let's get right to it. 

#1. For me the workout really starts before I even get sweating. I have found if you aren't in the right head space to rock and roll, you are not going to get the most out of your time at the gym. I like to dress for success, listen to awesome pump-me-up music, and think about the feeling I had at the end of my last dynamite workout. 

A lot of my workouts lately have been at home, and I find that it's way too easy to stay in pj's to workout. The problem is -- when I do that, I don't give my best workout. I just got this super cute outfit from Fabletics to help me feel my best and be ready to work. 

#2. Have a goal. If you go into work each day just to clock hours, you are not going to be as productive as if you had a goal for that day or several goals. Same thing with your workout. Go into it with a goal. Do you want to do more reps of pushups? Are you trying to run faster than you have before? Get in another round of Tabata than last time? Now get it done! 

#3. Ever heard of this rockstar kind of HIIT called Tabata? It's an interval workout that consists of hard work for 20 seconds and then 10 seconds of rest directly following that. You repeat that pattern for 8 sets. That is one round. You can choose to do as many or as few rounds as you would like. These kind of workouts give you an awesome calorie burn during and AFTER the workout. They are a crazy good way to make the most of your time getting stronger! I have shared a bunch of Tabata workouts on this blog for you here. You can take care of cardio or strength training or both with Tabata workouts. Trust me - you'll be hooked!

#4. Recovery. I used to have no idea that I needed to help my body recover after a workout. I mean - you are literally breaking down muscle fibers and want to help them rebuild. The way to do this? Amino acids, protein, good carbs. Your body needs those building blocks to recover and build stronger from your awesome workouts. One of my recovery game-changers has been AminoWise. I love to drink this during or after a workout to give my body the branch chain amino acids they so desperately need. And I can feel the difference in my body if I don't drink them. Can't get up the stairs after your intense leg workout anyone?

By the way, I am assuming you are working on your healthy eating, right? I don't even need to go into that, because I know you are eating lots of good fats, protein and vegetables galore. 😼

#5. As we talk about recovery, I have to mention sleep. So much happens while you sleep at night, and if you are not getting enough good quality sleep, (I get 9 hours a night, no joke) you're going to feel it. Trust me, that lack of rest and rejuvenation will come to bite you. Hard. Please take the time to make sleep a priority and the earlier you can get to bed, the better. You can always get up earlier if you need to. 

As a personal trainer, these are the things that keep me motivated and working hard and getting in the best workout in whatever amount of time I have. Pick one of your favorite tips and get started today!

This is a sponsored post. All my words, thoughts and images are my own.