Rest day guilt...

EllaPaigeNora
EllaPaigeNora Posts: 26
in Fitness and Exercise
Alright, so I've lost a lot of weight by counting calories, eating healthier things, and of course, exercising. I'm in maintenance mode right now but the fear that I'm going to gain it all back bothers me constantly. What keeps me sane is exercising. However, now I've found if I'm exhausted and drained and decide to take a rest day I feel REALLY guilty about it, like obsessively guilty about it and it makes me very depressed. I know it shouldn't. I still eat within my calorie means and workout about 4-5 times a week yet there's that voice in my head that says if I have free time I need to spend it working up a sweat. I feel like this guilt is really becoming an issue. Has anyone else dealt with this? If so, what did you do?

Replies

  • peggymoney
    peggymoney Posts: 126 Member
    Take a walk, call a friend and let it out, get a pedicure or treat yourself without using food... relax and take a deep breath! The gym will be there tmrw :):)
  • marc_s_johnson
    marc_s_johnson Posts: 107 Member
    You have to tell yourself that you won't put the weight back on from having one rest day.

    There's nothing wrong with wanting to exercise, I'm the same, I can stop now if I want but I enjoy it so I will carry on but now I've made a new rule that its a Mon - Fri thing with Sat and Sun as rest days.

    Try that, may help you sort the mental side of it out for you as at the end of the day it is your head telling you that you shouldn't rest.
  • ranok
    ranok Posts: 5 Member
    Remind yourself that if you overdo it and not take a rest day you could injure yourself, leaving you unable to work out for days or longer. Enjoy your day off, get some sunshine, read a good book.
  • airen123
    airen123 Posts: 149
    A walk on your rest day is completely acceptable. It's not going to hurt any previously exercised muscles, plus it will clear your head, and help destress. We aren't meant to go completely immobile for 24 hours.
  • bostonwolf
    bostonwolf Posts: 3,038 Member
    I agree, a nice leisurely walk still burns some calories but allows your muscles to recover.
  • ValerieMomof2
    ValerieMomof2 Posts: 530 Member
    I despise rest days. Hate them with a passion, BUT they are very important to give the body time to recover. I am always thinking I *should* do something intense, but I deal with it by being active in a fun way with my kids. We play soccer, I get on the trampoline with them, we take the dogs for a walk or go for a leisurely hike. I honestly don't take a rest day of nothing (unless I am sick), but I back off a lot
  • liftreadphilosophize
    liftreadphilosophize Posts: 180 Member
    Remind yourself that it takes consuming 3,500 extra calories to gain a pound. You most likely can't/won't do that in one day, and especially if you're staying within your caloric limits the rest of the week you'll be fine.

    I hope you come around to enjoying your rest days! I still do struggle with the guilt sometimes, but then I also think about how happy my muscles are to get a break, rest, recharge, rejuvenate, etc. so they are even stronger for the next workout.
  • smikulicz
    smikulicz Posts: 15 Member
    I try to think of them as recovery days, not rest days. You are letting your body and muscles recover and get ready for the next hard workout. I look at it as an important step in improving my overall fitness.

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