How Do I Know If I’m Recovered? | Ask the Menopause Fitness Expert

How do I know if I’m recovered? What if I’m not sore? These two questions are the topic for today’s podcast. Thanks to our listeners many of whom are inside the Facebook Flipping50 Insiders group who contribute questions there. I try to pick the questions that will be beneficial to the majority of our listeners.

If you’ve got one, drop it in comments below show notes at flippingfifty.com/podcasts or join the group and you can tag our coaches.

How do I know if I’m recovered?

It can be tricky. Not everyone gets sore.

There are other signs you may want to pay attention to:

• Sleep quality
• Appetite is good but not voracious of full of cravings
• Feel like you’ve got tons of energy
• You’ve waited a minimum of 48 hours and if you’re over 40, 72 hours often will give you an edge
• You’re able to lift more weight or do more reps consistently – evidence you’re making gains
• Visible signs it’s working

The need for recovery is very unique to individuals. Soreness, fatigue, achy muscles are not the only signs. And they are definitely not a sign that you have or haven’t worked hard enough.

However, if you’ve got extreme soreness there is a good chance you have pushed it too hard, you do not want to experience that when you do another workout.

To recover, move. Active recovery is always better than passive recovery.

Active recovery includes moving and light exercise with minimal muscle damage like swimming or water walking, yoga, spinning or walking. 

Passive recovery includes massage, soaking in epsom salts, napping, infrared sauna (I love mine! for exercise recovery and so much more related to positive aging)

Read more about overall health benefits of sauna.

Additional Resources:

You Still Got It, Girl! The After 50 Fitness Formula for Women (an entire chapter on recovery)