Rest day?

143Minnie

Hi guys, I was hoping the awesome people on MFP could help/advise me.

I've been doing well so far (lost over 25 pounds ) and I've been walking every day. I started doing strength training... half assing it the first day cause I wasn't sure how to do most of the exercises (all I have is a book)... but last night I did it well. I was so proud of myself. Today, my muscles didn't hurt that much unless I stretched. So, I was going to walk tonight but I just didn't. Its a little past 7 and I just didn't. I told myself okay... walking... my legs are sore so maybe I can take a rest day. I am so scared of hurting myself somehow and then not being able to exercise for a while. So I thought okay, rest day is a good day. This process is slow and I need to go at a pace I'm comfortable with. But the thing is I'm feeling really guilty about opting out of a workout. Like I might go down the unhealthy spiral again. I've missed workouts before when I just was running around all day and night but this time, today, I literally just chose NOT to workout. And I feel really bad about it. Anyways, I'm posting this in the "fitness and exercise" area cause I think I'm looking for advice on whether I'm okay with missing a workout once in a while. Especially because I'm just a little over a month in and I'm still (morbidly?) obese (at 269.4 lbs).

Timshel_

I use rest days personally. I break my strength training in to two day routines, so Mon/Tues train, rest Wed, then Thurs/Fri train. Weekends are a hodge-podge depending how I feel. I do cardio at least 5 days a week as well.

My advice was always to work into a good routine so you don't get too sore, which leads to a lot of people dropping lifting all together. You can't be afraid of a little stiffness or soreness, but don't push to hard for the first month to let your body and mind adapt. Then keep building regularly.

SezxyStef

I like PP lift Mon/Tues total rest wed lift thurs/fri...but I run Mon/Thurs/Sat and walk Tue/Fri/Sat/Sun or bike or swim or gardening etc.

It is important to take a rest day...a light walk won't hurt...but don't let them become the norm.

143Minnie

huh. Thanks! that actually makes me feel a little better. One of the times I've tried strength training/cardio to help lose weight and tone up I actually would try so hard, get incredibly sore and just give up. I do not want to do that again.

143Minnie

Thanks both of you for the super quick replies. I might actually take your systems and try them, see if they work for me.

Timshel_

Onceuponascalenumber wrote: »

I actually would try so hard, get incredibly sore and just give up. I do not want to do that again.

I was a trainer for years and it was a hard balancing act. You have a client who is REALLY excited to be at a gym and lifting to get in shape, and I like to give them a challenge, but you also do not want to burn them out too quick so you have to talk with them and pace them. That is one of the problems with boot camp mentalities out there, where they continually push everyday people too hard, too quick, and do not gain compliance...or worse, cause injury.

My line for working out and losing weight has always been, "You didn't get out of shape or overweight in a few months, you can't expect to be fit and thin in that time." You can make modest gains and continually ramp up to get there though.

143Minnie

This time around, I think that's why it's working so well for me so far, is because I realized this. (that it'll be a slow process). I think maybe my guilt was putting gasoline on my anxiety (fire) that I started to panic that I didn't do right. I'm going to take a good walk tomorrow and be very happy with myself that I didn't just crash and burn.