Use Active Recovery Days to Boost Your Results MORE ISN’T ALWAYS MORE
SO…WHAT SHOULD I DO ALL DAY? You won’t be going full-bore at the gym, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t keep your body moving. If you’re a CrossFitter, take a yoga class to maintain flexibility. Weightlifters can swap out the heavy weights for bodyweight moves and light cardio. If you’re a runner, reduce your distance and speed by jogging a shorter route at a lower target heart rate. Whatever your typical activity, shoot for about 50 percent effort or less on these days. Active recovery days are also the perfect opportunity to prep food! Spend the afternoon cooking chicken breasts, boiling rice, soaking oats, and chopping veggies, then divide them into enough single-serving containers to last the rest of the week. Most importantly, take advantage of this time to catch up with the important people in your life and the hobbies you love. You can even kill two birds with one stone by playing basketball with friends or going for a walk with the kids. When done properly, active recovery days can recharge your body, your mind, and your life.
Taking a day off from your workout routine might feel like slacking, but scheduling recovery days into your regimen will actually make the time you spend in the gymmore effective. Active recovery days aren’t really days off; you just do less physical work and focus more on the other tasks necessary for reaching your goals. With the holiday craziness kicking into full swing, now is the perfect opportunity to make sure you’re scheduling those active recovery days. You’ll have more time to focus on everything else you love and give your body what it needs to work off those extra Thanksgiving treats! WHY SHOULD I BOTHERWITH ACTIVE RECOVERY? Heavy exercise “damages” your muscles, and they use this downtime to repair that damage, which causes the cells to enlarge and ultimately results in muscle growth and increased strength. This hypertrophy process can’t happen — at least, not very successfully — unless your muscles have a chance to rest and recover. Reducing your workout intensity also allows you to focus on proper form, whether that’s for lifting, running, CrossFit, or other athletic pursuits. Perfecting your form will help you avoid injury, target the correct muscle groups, and work more efficiently.
Pumpkin Chickpea Fritters Ingredients
Be INSPIRED
Inspired by Healthy.Happy.Life
•
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
•
1 can chickpeas, drained
•
1–2 teaspoons flour, for binding (optional)
•
1/2 cup organic pumpkin purée
•
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
•
1 cup panko bread crumbs, for coating
•
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
•
1/4–1/2 cup safflower or canola oil, for frying
•
1 teaspoon garlic granules
Directions
4. Formmixture into golf-ball-sized spheres and roll to coat in panko breadcrumbs. Pat into flat cakes and carefully drop into hot oil. 5. Fry fritters, flipping once, until golden and toasty, about 2 minutes per side. 6. Transfer cooked fritters to a paper towel to dry and cool. Serve 5 minutes after cooking.
1. In a large mixing bowl, mash together chickpeas and pumpkin purée until the majority of peas are mixed with purée. 2. Add sunflower seeds, apple cider vinegar, spices, and flour to mixture. Fold until fully integrated. 3. In a large skillet, heat oil on medium-high.
NovaChiroWellness.com
(703) 912-7822
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker