Rest days are HARD!

mfreeby

Well I officially pushed a little too hard and pulled some things. So I'm forced to have a rest day and it's driving me nuts! I like to at least do 30 minutes not only for fitness reasons but so that I have a little more wiggle room in my calories and carbs. Only having 1200 cals available to me is a little stressful. And I also try to keep my carbs lower on days that I don't work out. So PLEASE tell me how rest days are SO important and GOOD for your body so I can stop feeling bad and just enjoy!

6heatherb6

ops..I didn't know we were meant to have rest days....:blushing: from eating and exercising...just from 'work'!!
???I'll be interested to read this....

Shanzstar

I hate them too but I guess your muscles need to recover... I do try some gentle yoga on my rest days. that way at least I can pull an extra 200 cals (give or take a few).

mfreeby

I just meant from exercise, but definitely from work too. Eating? I don't know what a rest day from eating would look like....haha

Louiselesley

Well. I am nothing if not dramatic. So...

If you decided to run 7 days a week without a rest day you may end up feeling very fit.

But there's a chance you may pull muscle with over-training.

There's also a chance you may fall asleep in a car and crash.

There's also a chance you may not be able to repair that tiny bit of tissue that ripped in the last workout and end up in crutches for 6 weeks with a leg that won't move.

There's also a chance your energy levels will drop so low you'll fall down some stairs.

There's also a chance you might get over-training syndrome which will put you out for even longer.

In summary: rest voluntarily or else you'll be FORCED to rest. and no-one likes to be forced ( well.. maybe sometimes xD )


(also technically just a little walk or some yoga/meditation is still a rest from more cardio/strength heavy activities. you can still be active on a rest day)

lil_pulp

Rest days are really hard for me too and unfortunately, it's often not until I hurt myself from overdoing it that I remember I actually need them! I keep thinking I'll learn, but whenever I have a planned rest day, I find myself "sneaking" in a quick bike ride or something. I worked so hard to stop sneaking food and now I'm sneaking exercise! Good luck and your body will thank you for the rest.

debbiequack

I have a hard time with rest days, as well. I used to try to do at least a little stretching, but I don't think that really "get it" for me. I think it's important to have one, though. A role model I know, runs 3 miles daily and has for years and years, but she always "rests" on Sundays. Her knees aren't so great, btw, after all of those years of running She's about 50.

At any rate, I tend to eat most of my calories so resting makes me really have to restrict on that day and I HATE it. So I'm with you But long term, I think it's better for your body to give it a day off every now and again. Remember, you want to be able to exercise for the rest of your life...

Best,

Debbie

kgool

I don't really have rest days and It has worked out okay. I don't do the same thing every day and some days I just play basketball with my son or ride my recumbent bike for 20 minutes. I am not sure anything is wrong with being active every day. Weights every day is pretty bad, and everyone now and then my body or my schedule do force a true rest day. They have become pretty rare though.

sculptandtone

I can't find the article anymore, but I recently read that one rest day a week not only cuts down on your chance injury significantly, it makes the other six workouts up to 30% more effective! I was shocked. Wish i could find the article. It MAY have been WebMD. But, I wouldnt' swear to it.

Shanzstar

Rest days are really hard for me too and unfortunately, it's often not until I hurt myself from overdoing it that I remember I actually need them! I keep thinking I'll learn, but whenever I have a planned rest day, I find myself "sneaking" in a quick bike ride or something. I worked so hard to stop sneaking food and now I'm sneaking exercise! Good luck and your body will thank you for the rest.

Omg!! I totally "sneak" in exercise instead of food now... never thought of it that way! lol

monkeefun

Oh, I am NOT a fan of rest days! I've gotten to where I feel like I need to do SOMETHING hard every day! Luckily, I've been forced to take actual rest days in the form of family events and what have you. Always keeping me from working out ;-). But otherwise, even though I know I should use a day just to stretch or do yoga or something, I feel like I need to PUSH to get that calorie burn.

It took me nearly 25 years to try to get into shape, and now that I'm working on it I don't wanna stop ;-). One extreme or the other I suppose...