Today is a much needed rest day from exercise. Yesterday, I was having a dreadful day, and as the day went on, it seemed to get worse and worse. I probably had overdone it, maybe just a little. While I was feeling the effects of my high sodium intake from the day before, even with all the water I drank I was still feeling pretty dehyrdated. I then took in a massage and an intense Insanity workout. My body was so exhausted after all of that excitement. I ended up not feeling very well and I went to bed at around 7:00pm last night.
As much as I don’t like taking rest days, they really are extremely important. Paying attention to how your body feels and how motivated you are is beneficial in figuring out your recovery needs and it allows you to modify your workouts accordingly. Some days may consist of heavy weight training and intense cardio. Other days may be yoga and light cardio. There are definitely limits to how much stress the body can put up with before it breaks down and increases the chance of injury.
Rest is crucial so that the muscles can repair, rebuild and strengthen. During this time the body gets used to the stress of exercises and allows the body to replenish energy and repair any damaged tissues. It’s interesting, but looking back at my weigh-in timeline, I have noticed a scale loss always happens after a rest day.
If you are not including a rest day each week, you are doing your body a great disservice. Your body NEEDS time to recover in order to grow and adapt to the extra strain you have been putting on it. Even if you experience little to no muscle soreness after your workouts, you should still fit in a rest day. Giving your entire body AND mind a full day off is necessary to regroup and get excited about the next workouts you have scheduled. Signs that you do not feel refreshed and ready to workout at the start of your next training day is a good hint that you have overtrained and need to schedule in more rest.
If you feel you don’t need a full rest day, take an “active rest day”. I like to take these fairly often. My active rest days will consist of full body stretches or a very small brisk walks. Just don’t allow your heart rate to get to high. Your body will still be able to recuperate.
Remember, it's always important to listen to your body. Have fun, be fit and RECOVER!!
You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.
- Eleanor Roosevelt
- Eleanor Roosevelt