Recovery Is Part of the Work

 

Over the last few weeks, we've talked a lot about strength training, nutrition, protein and building a stronger body in midlife. But there's another piece of the equation that deserves just as much attention: recovery.

I'll be the first to admit, this one is hard for me. I'm a former athlete and a self-diagnosed ADHD person (lol), sitting still has never exactly been my specialty. I've spent most of my life believing that if you want better results, you work harder. If you're tired, you push through. If you're not seeing progress, you add more. More workouts, more steps, more effort. Rest was something you did when everything else was finished and we all know everything is never finished.

But especially after 40, I'm realizing how far that is from the truth. Our bodies don't actually get stronger during a workout. The workout creates the challenge, but recovery is when our bodies repair, adapt and get stronger. We can have the perfect strength-training program and eat all the protein, but if we're constantly exhausted and stressed, we're leaving out a huge part of the equation.

Sleep Is Part of Your Fitness Routine

Sleep is probably one of the most underrated parts of fitness, yet it's often the first thing we sacrifice. We stay up later to get things done or wake up earlier to squeeze more into the day. I've definitely been guilty of thinking, I'll just get up earlier.

But when I'm strength training, walking thousands of steps, working all day and managing everything else life throws at me, my body and my brain need that recovery. I'm trying to stop thinking about sleep as hours when I'm accomplishing nothing. Sometimes the most productive thing you can do for tomorrow is simply go to bed.

Recovery Doesn't Have to Mean Doing Nothing

Walking is a huge part of my routine, and I'm learning that every walk doesn't have to be about burning calories or hitting a step goal. Sometimes an easy walk outside is simply recovery. It gets my body moving while also giving my mind a chance to decompress. For someone like me who struggles with doing absolutely nothing, active recovery is probably my sweet spot.

Sauna has become another part of my recovery routine. Yes, there are potential health benefits, but honestly, one of the biggest benefits for me is that it forces me to stop. I can't fold laundry, clean the kitchen or squeeze in another workout. I just sit, breathe and give myself permission to slow down for a little while.

And then there's actual downtime, which might be the hardest one of all. Watching a show, reading a book, sitting outside, having coffee or spending time with people you love without feeling like you should simultaneously be accomplishing something. Our bodies need recovery, but our brains do too.

You Don't Have to Earn Rest

This may be the biggest mindset shift for me: you don't have to completely exhaust yourself before you're allowed to recover. Taking a recovery day doesn't erase the work you've already done, and more isn't automatically better.

I'm definitely still learning this one. My natural instinct is always going to be to push harder and do more. But my goal isn't to see how much punishment my body can tolerate. My goal is to build a strong, healthy body that carries me through the next several decades of my life.

So I'm prioritizing sleep. I'm walking. I'm sitting in the sauna. I'm allowing myself some downtime. And I'm trying to listen when my body tells me it needs a little less instead of automatically responding by giving it more.

Because after 40, I've finally realized something I wish my younger athlete self understood:

Rest isn't the opposite of progress. Recovery is part of the work.