What does a 'rest day' mean for you?

NirvaniTeasley
NirvaniTeasley Posts: 138 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I was thinking about this last night, as I have not taken a 'rest day' in 25 days, mostly because of my fear of falling off of fitness altogether like I have so many times before. I have worked with personal trainers and read many articles about the importance of having a rest day, that most of the work our bodies are doing with weight loss is after the exercising is done. So I am not asking for advice regarding if we should rest or not, but more what does a 'rest day' entail. In my personal opinion it does not mean we should lay around doing nothing at all, but more about curtailing the power fitness sessions we engage in all the other days.


So what do you do on your 'rest days'? Or what does a 'rest day' mean for you? No exercise at all? Light exercise outside your normal cardio/weightlifting days? Or vegging on the couch all day? I am not looking for 'know it all' trollers on here so please take that somewhere else. The reason I say this is because I have seen so much condescension and rude people on the forums. I have been reluctant to even post. I am just curious as to what others do and don't do.

Love&Light
Nirvani
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Replies

  • skinnyforhi
    skinnyforhi Posts: 340 Member
    I take rest days twice a week, and sometimes three times if I am unusually busy or traveling. I live in an urban area and walk almost everywhere or take public transportation, so on my rest days, I usually end up walking somewhere, but that's it.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,474 Member
    i do not BELIEVE in rest days,, every day i do something, just not as intense,, and i do a different thing every day 7 days a week,
  • Nsdnjbl
    Nsdnjbl Posts: 66 Member
    Eating right, not excersising maybe. Rest day doesn't mean going to get Mcdonalds frappe....although I love them.
  • melindasuefritz
    melindasuefritz Posts: 3,509 Member
    i dont do rest days
  • brentbarrie
    brentbarrie Posts: 532 Member
    Other than a day that I take off from my workout, nothing. I still watch mo calories and go about my day as I would any other. The only thing different is that I don't work out.
  • daniellemm1
    daniellemm1 Posts: 465 Member
    I try to take a rest day once a week and that just means that I don't do an intense workout. I will still walk the dog, maybe do an easy 30 min on treadmill if I am feeling antsy. My rest day means no sweating :laugh:
  • brentbarrie
    brentbarrie Posts: 532 Member
    Eating right, not excersising maybe. Rest day doesn't mean going to get Mcdonalds frappe....although I love them.

    I want to try one of those new caramel ones at Starbucks SO bad.
  • rhogr000
    rhogr000 Posts: 126
    In my opinion, it's good to take a day off at least once a week (depending on the intensity of your workouts). By "take a day off" I don't mean sit on the couch all day, I mean don't do any kind of vigorous exercise. It's still good to get up and move around.

    If you continually workout every single day eventually you'll burn yourself out on it and quit altogether (this is true for any hobby, not just working out). It's important to take a break from time to time not only to allow your body to recuperate, but to allow yourself some personal time to do other things.
  • skeo
    skeo Posts: 471 Member
    I lift 5 days a week, and I have my rest days on the weekends with yoga and swimming. :smile:
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
    For me, it's a day I don't go to the gym or do home bodyweight exercises. Basically just a recovery day. Still do regular activities (mow, walk around, whatever). If I could take a "day of sleep" I'd definitely do that. Just can't.
  • ami5000psu
    ami5000psu Posts: 391 Member
    Go about my normal routine minus working out.
  • 1brokegal44
    1brokegal44 Posts: 562 Member
    It pertains to my workout schedule (not my food schedule). I aim for 5 days a week of working out. 2 rest days.
  • georgina1970
    georgina1970 Posts: 333 Member
    A rest day for me is still staying within my calorie target and NOT doing a a planned workout. This might still include a walk or some other active activity with the family.
    For me a workout includes cardio (for warm-up, + more if I have time) and a heavy weight lifting session, which is usually about 30mins. The weights I do on alternate days to allow for muscle recovery.
  • runningjen74
    runningjen74 Posts: 312 Member
    Try and have 1 complete rest day, no lifting/running/swimming/cycling - I'll still go out for a walk, but that's it. stay on track with exercise.
  • jody664
    jody664 Posts: 397 Member
    I had to take one yesterday. I worked out hard Sunday and Monday and I had such muscle soreness that the thought of going to them almost brought me to tears. I did manage to take the dog for two long walks I usually take 2-3 rest days a week. As stated, it pertains to my workout schedule but not my food goals. I continue to try to be active (walk on the treadmill or take the dog for long walks if the weather is nice). But it means skipping a gym day and letting my muscles rest.
  • HappyElizabeth
    HappyElizabeth Posts: 231 Member
    About one day per week, I don't do any intense physical activity. I do manage to walk the dogs for a couple miles on my "rest" day, so I'm still active, just not doing something that my body will need to recover from. In the last few months I've really stepped up my exercise, so it's important to let my body recover. I'm finding my body really benefits from a rest day, so I force myself to do it. I'm not into "cheat" days food wise, so that always stays the same.
  • Lessthanpenguins
    Lessthanpenguins Posts: 30 Member
    My rest days are days where I just don't do my lifting. I might do some moderate to intense cardio workouts or maybe go play some vollyball or soccer but I avoid the weights like the plague.
  • RllyGudTweetr
    RllyGudTweetr Posts: 2,019 Member
    Work out less (walks are not with the intent of working out, for example), and stay on-track with calories and macros.
  • SammyRotten
    SammyRotten Posts: 20
    i sometimes just need rest days because i'm sore or too busy. for me a rest day means clean eating (like always) and less or no exercise.
  • RoseTears143
    RoseTears143 Posts: 1,121 Member
    What is this "rest day" you speak of? O_o haha

    I do something every day. Right now it's Insanity 6 days a week and I am starting a running program to add in 4 days a week as well. Saturday is technically my rest day - but I still run, or lift, or do a long walk. But I don't just take a pass to veg out all day.
  • Samenamenewlook
    Samenamenewlook Posts: 296 Member
    My "rest day" is Sunday. I don't do a workout, but I stay busy. Usually cleaning the house or working in the yard. I don't take it as a day off from healthy eating though.
  • WDEvy
    WDEvy Posts: 814 Member
    Some weeks it might mean no workout at all but most of the time it means at least a little walk but nothing intense.
  • rose228822
    rose228822 Posts: 186 Member
    I used to take a day or two off when I mainly workout with weights but since I am doing more cardio I prefer to just workout every day and it keeps me motivated and since I've started working out early in the morning I have so much energy for the rest of the day:)
  • TheStephil
    TheStephil Posts: 858 Member
    I walk on my breaks and lunch monday-friday (about 70 minutes total) and do this on my rest days and my regular days. For me, a rest day means I don't do any intense workouts like running, strength training, etc. Walking is now apart of my daily life and doesn't tire me out but allows me to burn some calories and eat more.
  • ccshopsalot
    ccshopsalot Posts: 31
    When I take my rest day i stay active (hiking, yard work, housework, family fun day etc) I don't do my normal Cardio/strength routine. When I take the rest day I find that I am able to work harder/stronger the day i return.
  • Mmmmona
    Mmmmona Posts: 328 Member
    It means I am sick or injured and therefore incapable of fulfilling my potential.
  • RobynLB83
    RobynLB83 Posts: 626 Member
    My "rest day" is one of the following done at an easy relaxing pace: trail running, swimming laps, yoga, pilates, rock climbing, or hiking.
  • akindc
    akindc Posts: 84 Member
    You guys make me feel bad about myself, but I only lift 3 days a week. Absolutely nothing on other days, because I'm usually too sore to do anything.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Rest days are very important...OP, yes...that's when the "magic" happens...that's when your body truly gets the benefit of your exercises. Exercise is just the catalyst...it's rest and repair that your body truly benefits; this is particularly true for lifting weights or resistance training. If you don't allow your muscles to recover then you pretty much just wasted your time.

    That said, "rest" doesn't mean you just sit on your *kitten* and eat bon bons and watch the tube all day. I lift 3x weekly and I lift heavy...this is a lot of stress on my body and central nervous system. On my non-lift days I do some light cardio...a couple rounds of tabata and mayb a jog or walk...but if I do anything super intense cardio wise, it interferes with my recovery from the previous days lifting session. On lift days I might go for a walk at lunch just to move, but that's about it and I do some conditioning after my lift session...i.e. farmers carries, sled pushing, etc. I generally take Sunday off from any formal exercise, but I'm generally active...take the kids for a bike ride down by the river...go walk the dog, walk around the zoo...stuff like that.

    How much rest you need is variable and dependent on the intensity of your exercise. If you're going balls out 7 days a week, you are most likely over training and leaving the door open to serious injury...not to mention, you're probably not getting the full benefit of the exercises that you are doing.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    You guys make me feel bad about myself, but I only lift 3 days a week. Absolutely nothing on other days, because I'm usually too sore to do anything.

    That's perfectly fine...people on this site over train all of the time because they don't truly understand fitness and they don't have fitness goals that go beyond calorie burn and weight loss goals. When you start setting fitness goals that are independent of calorie burn and weight loss...that's when the world really opens up to you.

    For some general heart health, I'd recommend a good 45 minute walk 3x weekly in addition to your lifting. As you get more fit, you'll likely have a desire to start adding stuff in. Most of what I do from a cardio standpoint assists me in my lifting and helps make my sessions better. I haven't set foot on a cardio machine in ages.

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