How to recover from body fatigue after big step day!

[Okie51]

I have the Charge HR and love it! I competed in my first challenge with a group of friends yesterday, Daily Showdown. Went hiking and won with almost 31,000 steps! I average 15,000-18,000 a day. I am female and 51. Feeling the fatigue today, curious  about the best way to recover from a day like that. I want to keep stepping and go forward. I would appreciate it ideas! Thanks:)

[mike824]

Like all exercising  your muscles need time to relax. I suspect in time you will get stronger and won't be as tired but pushing yourself to hard an to fast will only make it worse. I work out at the gym about an hour 3 sometimes 4 times a week giving my old body a rest between.. over the last 6 months I'm 40 lbs lighter and stronger than I have ever been in 64 yrs. Keep up the good work ..just don't kill yourself trying to keep up with everyone else.

[kaelarenee7]

If I have a big step day, I rest the next day or two. Just rest, watch TV, work on my knitting, do some reading, literally just resting. Your body needs time to recover after pushing it to go farther. I've recently been sick so haven't been able to do much, but just before getting sick I was working on walking farther around the neighborhood. I started out walking about 4.5 miles, then got up to 6 miles, and then managed to do 8 miles in one walk. I took the next day off and just rested, and then was able to walk 5-6 miles the next few times I walked.

[reuel]

the highest number of steps i got was on april 2, which was 30K steps because we went hiking. it would have been definitely more than 30K if it were a flat surface ... on april 3, you'd see that i was in an all time low of sub 1.5K steps (knowing my average has been above 10k) lol that was how tired i was. i was basically paralyzed.

if you are tired, just rest. listen to your body

[Maxit]

I find moderate walking the day after actually helps my recovery - nothing too taxing, but moving.

[loveabull]

Epsom salts in a hot bath-they have some great fragranced ones now, Icy Hot and Aspercreme rubbed in together, Aleve taken as directed. All things I swear by.

[HelenaFitbit]

A warm bath and a cozy day usually does wonders for me after a high stepping day 

[Gershon]

Congratulations on your big day!

I've found a hot bath right after walking can speed the recovery of leg muscles.

Listen to your body and reduce your steps if you have any pains in the knees or the feet. These can become chronic if you do too much. Also reduce your steps if you feel generally tired. 

In my experience, my seven day total is more predictive of problems.

[ponydoc]

Don't forget to drink lots of fluids the next day.  If those steps caused you to sweat or made your muscles sore you need to replenish electrolytes and clear away waste products like lactic acid.  I, like everyone else who replied, avocate a day or two of rest and light activity.  Good luck to you!

[Pianinha]

I always get very sore and unable to move after those days, until I bought recovery compression tights. Some workouts I liked to do but were really afraid of the outcome and the consequences of the next day. I guess it is called muscle fatigue.

So in a week....I would get an awesome day....3 days complaining about that awesome day...and the other days still a bit sore and not really in mood in repeating the awesome day. Until I bought the recovery compression tights. Slept with them after the awesome day....NEXT DAY.....NO FREAKING PAIN. And so on. I warn you...it is a lil bit uncomfortable to sleep with it...but after a few nights I got used to the tights....and I prefer them than to keep unable to move and to sit like someone has needles on the butt all the day.

I have read about compression stuff and it seems it works to some people. For me it worked. And I will keep this trick. Plus I get less cramps when I run. After 2 years with fitbit and googling everything I could against pain and what I could to improve my workouts, all I need were a pair of tights, a bottle of water and of course my flex. 

Keep calm and step a lot!

[Ralf]

Elevated feet supposedly help a lot. There's even a recovery "exercise" for it. "Butt to the wall" - sit down close to a wall with your side touching the wall then swing your legs up. You should be in a position like you were "sitting" at the wall with your back leaning against the floor (use a mat to rest your back on, maybe a pillow too).

Just stay in that position for 1-5 minutes or how long you feel comfortable.

This helps with the blood flow to speed up recovery.

[EdsonFitbit]

Sleep enough, then wake up to watch a soap opera while eating vegetables is my way to recover energies after doing exercise. 

[iwarrior]

After a high step day I take it easy the following day. I still manage the average 10,000 per day, on gym days my total gets up to 30,000 and my highest was 45,000 when I was out clubbing all night and danced non stop! 
Yes the muscles in my legs will ache after a high step day but with plenty of rest, and some good stretches, I find it helps 🙂