Days off from gym...?

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jessical30
jessical30 Posts: 49 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Last week I started my membership to the YMCA. I have been going everyday since we've joined. I really enjoy going I have been working really hard on meeting my goals for the machines. My question is I hear people say they need days off from the gym.... What do you do for your days off? I'm afraid that the days I don't go that I might not burn enough calories and that will not help my goal for my weight loss? I bought 30 day shred yesterday and I thought I would do that on my days off from the gym. I think that would help me burn the calories that I need? Also how many days do you go to the gym?

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  • Gramps251
    Gramps251 Posts: 738 Member
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    If you're really working out hard you need to let your muscles recover a bit. I like to take 2 days a week off and just go for a walk and some stretching on my off days. As to giving up the calorie burn, I can just cut back a bit of food on the days I take off but if I'm truly recovering I often eat my normal amount to help my body recover.
  • theginnyray
    theginnyray Posts: 208 Member
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    What you are hearing is correct, taking a day off from the gym is good! Letting your body get adequate rest is very important. However, there is no magic number. Listen to your body. Some weeks you might need one rest day, other weeks you might need two, or three.
    When I say "rest day" I don't necessarily mean sit on the couch and watch TV all day, but do your normal activities without a workout. Rest days won't hinder your weight loss!
  • welshae
    welshae Posts: 4 Member
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    Hi Jessica. Your body/muscles need a rest day. My trainer advises to go for a easy walk at home. Hit some golf balls, play catch, pull weeds, clean the house to fun music. On days that you are resting those muscles, pay special attention to calorie intake. Don't stress too much about relaxing one day as the next day you will get a better, stronger work out in. Have fun ---- it's a LIFE LONG CHANGE. Also - I smile when I w/o. It's weird but it works. :) Good Luck.
  • jessical30
    jessical30 Posts: 49 Member
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    Thanks so much for the advise everyone!! I just need to tell my mind its okay to take a day off LOL
  • Jalyst79
    Jalyst79 Posts: 50 Member
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    I agree you need days off. I use to do 7 days a week and on some days I had 2 different workouts. After I started taking a day off, I noticed a huge improvement in my body and energy level. Too much can make you sick. On those days you don't exercise, you need to learn to how to use less calories. We all have set backs and days or weeks where we are sick or hurt and can't exercise and we only had the minimum amout of calories to use.
  • Determinednoob
    Determinednoob Posts: 2,001 Member
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    When I was cutting I did 5 days per week in the gym with 2 of them just being slowish walking (3mph) on a treadmil. Now that I am bulking, I go to the gym 3 days per week.
  • semperfit1823
    semperfit1823 Posts: 153
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    Muscles repair and grow outside the gym so depending on how you are training should reflect your rest days. Heres a pretty generic common layout

    Day 1: Legs/Cardio
    Day 2: Chest/Tri/Cardio
    Day 3: Cardio
    Day 4: Back/Bi/Cardio
    Day 5:Shoulders/Calves/Cardio
    Day 6: Cardio
    Day 7: Active Rest/Rest

    as you can see the days are split on muscle groups splitting major muscles apart since they tend to have an effect on those other areas regardless(this is a typical split just as an example many programs have different ways theres no real one special way).

    On my rest days I like to do yoga/myofascial release that way I'm active but also helps myself recover even better.

    Just remember you BREAKDOWN muscle IN the gym and you GROW muscle OUTSIDE the gym.
  • MVY_
    MVY_ Posts: 253 Member
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    Days off I do pretty much cleaning my home, laundry, and when I have time I do strength exercises.
  • Sweetsugar0424
    Sweetsugar0424 Posts: 451 Member
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    I go to the gym 5 days/week, 3 being weight lifting days and the other 2 are fitness classes. I then take a day off to rest mid-week (today) as well as on Sunday. Like others have said, your body NEEDS rest days to recover and be able to grow stronger. Over do it for too long and you will end up sick or injured.
  • jessical30
    jessical30 Posts: 49 Member
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    Days off I do pretty much cleaning my home, laundry, and when I have time I do strength exercises.
    Thats what I thought I would do today, just my cleaning and laundry and do 30 day shred.
  • ATclassof2021
    ATclassof2021 Posts: 232 Member
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    I truly only have one complete day of rest.....Sunday

    Here is what I do weekly:

    Monday - run/chest and abs
    Tuesday - run
    Wednesday - run/legs
    Thursday - back and bi's
    Friday - run/shoulders, tri's and abs
    Saturday - run
    Sunday - rest to do it all over again the following week
  • sgcadola
    sgcadola Posts: 35 Member
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    Yes you need to give your body rest!! I follow Jamie Eason's LiveFit 12 week program & Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred. I incorporate the 2. The 30 Day Shred is a great warm up to the strength training. I just make sure to take 1 day off from the 30DS, but if I'm too sore I take 2 days. Your body will tell you when it's ready. Just don't go too long with your rests or else your basically starting all over again on Day 1. I hope this helps and good luck!!!

    http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-easons-livefit-phase-1.html

    That link is amazing. She spells your workouts for you exactly, provides meal plans and days of rest!!
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    Listen to your body... if you feel fresh and strong, have at it. If you're tired or sore, you may want to dial it back a bit (at least until you learn how your body responds).

    IMO, people make too big of a deal about rest and over-training (at least for the average MFPer).
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    I do a combo of lifting and running.
    Today is a day "off". I'll either walk to work and back (30 min each way), or ride. But not lift, and not run.

    I'm not on a strict "friday is rest day" schedule. I just listen to my body.
    It's requesting today off lol.
    Yesterday I:
    walked the dog for 45 minutes
    rode to work
    ran 3.5 miles on the treadmill, including 1 mile barefoot
    did 1 hr of weights (circuit training with an evil teacher)
    rode home.

    So yeah, today is rest day, as I don't normally do the run and the weights on the same day.
  • jwetshtein
    jwetshtein Posts: 1
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    I go 6 days a week, you know that. I take Sundays off as my rest day.... I was going 7 days but realized I need a day to recover and honestly that 1 day I don't do anything. I might take a walk or I clean my house but no exercise really. Good luck on your journey
  • caseythirteen
    caseythirteen Posts: 956 Member
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    If you plan on doing 30DS than I wouldn't consider it a rest day. In a gym or outside, exercise is still exercise. Your body needs the break to repair the muscles. It won't hurt you at all! In the long run it will make the whole thing more sustainable.

    For me, I try and get a workout in 4-5 days a week with 2-3 days being lifting and the other's being cardio. I have two kids so my schedule can change week to week so I just go with it. If I'm too strict on myself from a schedule perspective I'm just setting myself up for failure.

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