It’s the time for new year’s resolutions, and an ever-popular one is to lose weight, get in shape, get fit, or maybe even gain weight if you’re looking to pack on some muscle. Whichever it is, exercise is almost definitely involved. It’s likely that you’ll be pushing your body by exercising more frequently or introducing types of exercise you’ve never done before.

You’re likely to find this difficult at first as your muscles get used to being used in different ways and the extra pressure you’re putting on them to work harder. You’re likely to feel sore and stiff the next day, but don’t let that stop you from working toward your goal. Just take a rest day, get plenty of sleep, keep eating right, and get back to it the next day.

The importance of rest

Even take two or three rest days if you need. Rest days are really important when training your body as this is when your muscles repair themselves and grow stronger. Pushing yourself too hard can lead to injury, illness, and demotivation, all factors that make you less likely to achieve your goals.

It’s important to be patient and take it slowly, especially if you have low fitness levels to start with. You might start by exercising just once or twice a week. As your body gets stronger and fitter, you can then increase this as you progress.

How massage can help you stick to your new year’s resolution

Massage can also help you out when it comes to that post-workout soreness. A sports massage or deep tissue massage after your workout helps to decrease the soreness you’ll feel the next day. This speeds up your recovery time, meaning you can get back to the gym (or whatever your choice of exercise is) sooner.

Massage also improves the suppleness of your muscles and the mobility of your joints, helping to reduce your chances of injury. Simple injuries like pulling a muscle while working out could prevent you from training for weeks, which could seriously derail your efforts. Looking after your body with regular massage sessions helps to keep you in good shape.

As you continue exercising, your body will start to become more accustomed to it, so you won’t feel the same levels of soreness you did when you first started out. But, in the meantime, you can book a massage therapy session with Moonstone Massage to keep you working toward your goals in 2020. Get in touch to find out about the massage services we offer.