Recovery Day

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tabi26
tabi26 Posts: 535 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone!
I'm jsut wondering if you have to have a recovery day? I'm trying to lose 1lb a week and at my current weight that gives me 1200 calories a day. There's no way I could eat only 1200/day lol. So I exercise everyday. I burn anywhere from 400-900 cal/day. I do this so I can eat hahaha! Taht would bring my daily totals up to 1600-2100 cal/day. Taht is more sustainable to me. I find that I am sore most days at the beginning of my workouts, but after stretching I'm not that sore. So is it ok to not take a rest day? I would either starve on that day or be way over my goal lol.

Replies

  • vanfox23
    vanfox23 Posts: 110
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    I'm curious about this too. I feel run down on my recovery days because I'm not eating as much...
  • srp2011
    srp2011 Posts: 1,829 Member
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    Your muscles really do need time to rebuild and recover - that's why they tell you not to do strength exercises two days in a row, or at least not to work the same muscle groups. But, if you don't want to take a whole day off, you might try doing a lighter cardio day, some type of cross-training, etc... For example, when I am being really good about my exercise, I try to run 3-4 days a week and lift weights 2-3 days, and then do yoga one day, which is my 'light' day. The important thing is not to overwork the same muscles in the same way repeatedly, which is a good way to set yourself up for injuries, too.
  • jamie1888
    jamie1888 Posts: 1,704 Member
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    It's OK to exercise and be active every day. If you start to feel run down, not enough energy to get through a workout, or super sore one day, then it might be a good idea to take a day off.
  • peanutrenee
    peanutrenee Posts: 179
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    Its recomended to take a day for ur body to repair.. It also lets ur muscles relax.. does that meen sitting on ur butt.. no but u dont need to go to the gym.. but a walk or something very low impact. just to keep urself moving, you dont have to kill urself.. but everyones body needs a little bit of rest, it also gets the lactic acid out of ur muscles, letting them heal.
  • MyNameIsNotBob
    MyNameIsNotBob Posts: 565 Member
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    I absolutely let myself have a rest day or two each week. I aim for minutes per week of exercise, that way I can still meet my goals even if something pops up unexpectedly that keeps me from going to the gym a couple days.

    On the days I don't work out, I still try to make my calorie goal (it's harder!) but I feel okay going over as long as I'm still at deficit (so if my calorie goal is 1200, I might eat more like 1400 on my "off" day, but it's still a calorie deficit, so I should still be losing).

    Hope that helps.
  • Sigra
    Sigra Posts: 374 Member
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    So far I've been working out every day - Even if it's something small such as doing different stretching, or small cardio burners (Jackknife, Bicycle crunches, etc) - This doesn't burn a lot of calories at all, but it still keeps your body in the exercise mode without going all out :)
  • elliecolorado
    elliecolorado Posts: 1,040
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    I work out every day and haven't had any problems. I only take a rest day if I am feeling extra sore, like the day after I work out extra hard. Otherwise if I just feel a little bit sore I still work out. I think it's fine to do what feels right for you, you know your body best, as long as you aren't hurting yourself I'd say work out every day if you want. :-)

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