Rest Days

rmgatch
rmgatch Posts: 38
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello Everyone! Hope you are enjoying the weekend. I was curious how everyone handled rest days? Do you have rest days? Normally I try to workout 2-2.5 hrs (Cardio and weights) Monday - Friday and try to use the weekend as my rest days or just cut back to just an hour workout. On those rest days if I feel I have a lot of energy I may go for a run so I am able to eat more that day :-)
Well I was curious if people take those rest days to help the body recover and not workout at all during those days. Just seems like if I don't do some form of workout I feel maybe I am missing out on something. Then other thoughts are maybe I am overdoing it and not giving my body enough recovery time. Just wondering how people handled rest days.

Replies

  • bethanykf
    bethanykf Posts: 68
    My experience in the past is that rest days are not good for me. Rest days turn into rest weeks and then months. I try to do a little something every day. With a 1.5 year old it's not always possible, but at least having the intention of doing something each day helps me to have fewer skipped days. :)
  • gmallan
    gmallan Posts: 2,099 Member
    Yep you definitely NEED rest days. Resist the urge to smash it out 7 days a week. It can lead to overtraining and injury. The most I do on my rest days is a very light walk, stretching or pilates session.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    Rest days are very critical to your success. You break down the muscles during exercise, you repair the muscles during rest. If your muscles don't get rest, they can never fully recovery and see the progress. I also suggest higher protein and even carbs on rest days and a little lower fat. This will help repair muscle and restore glycogen if need be.
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
    I have to take rest days. My body needs the time to heal, especially with me doing the C25K. I dont' want to get stress fractures in my feet and cause me down time. And I have one day of rest with my P90X...so on Saturdays I do nothing....they are my complete and total rest day.
  • Heyyleigh
    Heyyleigh Posts: 268 Member
    Lemon is so right, BUT I just cant sit. I have a Fitbit and I am very competitve in the boards. If I were to "rest" I would slide down to the middle and have a meltdown. It keeps me motivated and I loveeeeeeeeeee it!
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    Keep in mind you can do active rest days.. where you do stretching or use a foam roller. I know on my rest day, we do all of our errands. You really don't want to keep breaking down the muscles or you will slow down or never see huge gains.
  • wildman51
    wildman51 Posts: 12
    I go a little easier on rest days and ease up on the calories a bit. But then again, i haven't lost 52 pounds either! Nice work!
    Clearly you're doing whats right for you!
  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
    Hello Everyone! Hope you are enjoying the weekend. I was curious how everyone handled rest days? Do you have rest days? Normally I try to workout 2-2.5 hrs (Cardio and weights) Monday - Friday and try to use the weekend as my rest days or just cut back to just an hour workout. On those rest days if I feel I have a lot of energy I may go for a run so I am able to eat more that day :-)
    Well I was curious if people take those rest days to help the body recover and not workout at all during those days. Just seems like if I don't do some form of workout I feel maybe I am missing out on something. Then other thoughts are maybe I am overdoing it and not giving my body enough recovery time. Just wondering how people handled rest days.

    You are overtraining. Cut back to one hour workouts honestly if you are doing two or more hours you are simply not working hard enough for your fitness level. Bump up the intensity (interval training, large muscle strength exercises, slow lifting to failure, limit rests, drop sets and supersets), take rest days at the most do active recovery so get your 10,000 steps at easy pace or do something super gentle like yoga or Pilates or flexibility work. Remember even professional athletes cycle their training hard and easy and take rest days, if you can't that could indicate exercise addiction.
  • clarebrad
    clarebrad Posts: 188 Member
    I like to do soemthing everyday. Have one day that is lighter is excercise maybe a nice big walk, so give mussle bit of rest and rest from running. Always like to mix up so have rest days from weights but then do cardio. I had a trainer once tell me you eat 7 days a week so should work out the same.
  • links_slayer
    links_slayer Posts: 1,151 Member
    I have 2-3 rest days/week. I'm pretty gassed after a run or after a visit to the gym. Doing either on back-to-back days is rough.

    YMMV
  • nomoremasa23
    nomoremasa23 Posts: 18 Member
    I dont have a "rest" day. I also dont do the same exercises each day. Some days I walk, stationary bike,Zumba, hiking a trail, cardio kickboxing but it generally between 30-60 min a day. I feel that I sleep better when I do exercise plus I sit at work all day so my body craves activity!
  • Lizlicious2187
    Lizlicious2187 Posts: 178 Member
    I've always taken at least two rest days a week, maybe three if I worked out pretty hard the other days. I think rest days are essential to re-charging your body and mind. Just my 2 cents though! :drinker:
  • Charmainedelaney
    Charmainedelaney Posts: 46 Member
    I agree, rest days are needed for the body to heal. If you feel like you are missing out on something then try swimming you get to have fun & have a lighter workout. The body is not a machine & if over worked will start to show signs of wear & tear.
  • natalie2603
    natalie2603 Posts: 15 Member
    A form of training daily is not going to lead to overtraining, just rotate what you do.
    Unless you are body building and power lifting you are not really running the risk of injury.
    I train every single day and rotate between heavy weight lifting sessions 5 times a week and HIT cardio the other two days. Everyday I walk/jog with my dog also (his exercise is just as important as mine!)
  • rmgatch
    rmgatch Posts: 38
    Thank you everyone for your thoughts. Have a great week ahead.
  • alitap
    alitap Posts: 38 Member
    Rest days are a good idea but just ensure that they dont hinder your entire weeks effort....i try to keep 1 or 2 rest days each week but i realised that I crave for rich food on those days, making me feel like ive wasted all the effort.

    So just as long as you can stay on track, rest days are fine....

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