How important is a rest day? I need answers please!

Options
2»

Replies

  • LauraSmyth28
    LauraSmyth28 Posts: 399 Member
    Options
    I only do 40 mins of cardio a day, and this is my 22nd consecutive day (started on 1st of Jan).

    It's not that I'd feel guiltly if I had a rest day, it's that working out puts me in good mood and makes me feel more energetic.
    If I end up having a day where I can't work out (such as if I have a christening, wedding etc...) then that will be fine. But when I can work out, I will.

    Everyone is different.
  • Jess5825
    Jess5825 Posts: 228
    Options
    I usually take a rest day once per week. I had been taking Tuesday to rest, because I worked morning shifts on that day and I was always to tired after work to do anything anyways. Problem is, now I was switched to night shifts on Tuesday and I feel like I am going to feel crappy all day if I don't work out (as I've found I have been if I had taken a second day off). So maybe I'll try to do something simple like take a walk instead of my usual kick boxing. Just so I don't feel like I'm being lazy.
  • acasey0123
    acasey0123 Posts: 640 Member
    Options
    its important for a rest day your muscles need to repair themselves so they can become stronger
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
    Options
    It's very important. If you're sore, you should definitely rest. If you're not working out hard enough to get sore, you should be. If you're not sore, I would say work out.
  • gp79
    gp79 Posts: 1,799 Member
    Options
    Rest days are just as important as is getting enough sleep, exercising regularly and eating balanced nutrition. Work to find a balance in these 4 areas for the best success.
  • pwittek10
    pwittek10 Posts: 723 Member
    Options
    If you workout every day your body accepts it as normal and will you will stop having results.
    It is a balance of metabolism, best results, is give your body a break.
    The guilty feeling doesn't go away however.
    Keep up your progress, it does pay off!
  • thelovelyLIZ
    thelovelyLIZ Posts: 1,227 Member
    Options
    Keep in mind your muscles grow and repair themselves while you rest, not while you work out. You need to give them that rest to repair. That's why people who lift a lot won't lift the same muscle groups every day.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    Options
    I don't have a technical answer, but I am just going to throw in my two cents. For most of the first 11 months I was on MFP I had (GASP) 4 rest days per week...I only had time to work out 3 days a week. By eating well and sticking to my calorie goals I still lost weight during that time. I recently became unemployed so I have a lot more time to workout now...but I still have 2 rest days. I think they are necessary so we don't become obsessive. I think that it is perfectly ok to be active on a rest day. Go for a leisurely walk, bike ride, hike, whatever. Rest day doesn't mean loaf around on the couch eating ice cream and cookies all day. Take them, and enjoy them!
  • Matt_Wild
    Matt_Wild Posts: 2,673 Member
    Options
    Have at least 1 day off a week. You need it for muscular repair and central nervous system recovery. In a dieted state, recovery is limited and over doing it will tire you out, slow you down, make the weights you lift lighter, the cardio you do slower than optimum and increases the chance of muscular/tendon damage. It also allows a day for the body to recharge its glycogen stores which will charge the metabolism and get it releasing leptin so your metabolism doesn't get too slow.

    In short, have a day off!
  • Loves418
    Loves418 Posts: 330 Member
    Options
    I rest for two reasons the first is my body tells me too because I can't get my heart rate up to where it should be no matter how hard I push. Plus I have a bad heel spur and I need to let it rest. I try to keep my errands or the rest day so I am not just sitting all day. This way I am out and about still moving but not workout level.
  • engineman312
    engineman312 Posts: 3,450 Member
    Options
    if you don't take a rest day, and you over train, you will probably need a rest week to recover from injuries.
  • misshaiti
    misshaiti Posts: 1 Member
    Options
    A lot depends on how intensive and long your exercise is and how intensive your "activities of daily living" are. For example, if you are someone like me who spends 8hours in a chair at the office with minimal time allowed for walking around and your exercise is a long walk (say an hour) at a fairly leisurely pace or 15 minutes of more intense activity like cardio etc. - then no, a rest day is not strictly necessary. However, if you have a more physically demanding job and your exercise is also intense activity then a rest day is very necessary to prevent muscles from being injured and damaged.
  • joannbucky
    joannbucky Posts: 1 Member
    Options
    You must rest at least one day, you will become obsessed. This is your Mother speaking Joannbucky. LOL
  • FuzzieJelly
    FuzzieJelly Posts: 848 Member
    Options
    Our bodies need time to rest from all we put them through. The sleep we get at night helps with that but we still need at least one day to rest not only our bodies, but our minds, and spirits as well. God, Himself, "rested" on the 7th day, so maybe we need to follow His example. Have a great day!

Categories