Rest Days: How Important for Weight Loss?

sdesmond2
sdesmond2 Posts: 14 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Once upon a time I was a very active person. For the last year, I've done little to no exercising. Two months ago my husband and I purchased a treadmill and made a commitment to getting healthy again. I haven't stopped since. I will generally walk/run 30-60 minutes a day. It makes me feel great.

I've read that it helps encourage weight loss and gives your body time to repair if you take "days off". My problem is that I am worried that if I take a "day" I'll backslide in to old habits; no motivation; over eat. Any advice. (I do feel a little sore, but not in pain, and as soon as I start to work out my muscles feel great.)

I also should mention that I suffer from depression and the daily exercise has allowed me to mangage that without medications.

Replies

  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    Taking rest days to repair is usually for weight lifting, or intense or long distance running. You definitely do not need to take rest days from walking, and the same probably goes for short runs. Be aware that regular steady state cardio causes metabolic adaption. People often choose steady state cardio because it is mindless and easy, but this is the reason it is one of the worst forms of exercise
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
    ^^ Agreed

    You certainly don't need a rest day from walking...and if it helps keep you motivated, hey, keep it up!

    I take a day off between heavy lifting days and/or HIIT days.
  • Oneal77
    Oneal77 Posts: 12
    AJ is right. Resting between workouts when soar, is usually for weight lifting. However, if you have been working out for awhile now, and you're still soar, then its time to take a break. Any time you workout for the first time, it will cause certain parts of the body to be soar. But once you work through this, it should retract. There is a video you can watch at www.uncommonwebshop.com. Just click on the weight loss link. Good Luck!
  • shadus
    shadus Posts: 424 Member
    As others have stated, rest days are primarily for marathon running and weight lifting to give the muscles and body time to repair. You can easily do 3-4 hours of work a day at a light-moderate exertion level and never have issue (once built up to it cardiovascularly speaking) Unless you're going hard it's not much of an issue.
  • TheBitSlinger
    TheBitSlinger Posts: 621 Member
    Yeah, "rest days" relate to weight lifting. Lifting weights literally damages muscle tissue. You have to do "rest days" to give the muscles time to repair themselves, which they do by making themselves denser and bigger.
  • lewandt
    lewandt Posts: 566 Member
    I walk every day, regardless of weather it is my rest day or not. Right now i am running 4 days a week and cross training 2 with one day of rest.

    I walk for my dog and don't feel it is hard exercise for me. And, i have a desk job and don't move at all during the day (on days i work).

    I don't think it is bad not taking a day off unless you are doing very vigorous exercise everyday.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    From a weight loss point of view I'd say rest days are counterproductive in that you're burning fewer calories that day.

    From the point of view of avoiding injury & burnout they may be necessary if you're lifting weights or running long distances (there have been runners with streaks in excess of 40 years documented, having said that it's a virtual certainty that they would have had days where the runs were very short and very slow as in recovery vs rest)

    There are some activities you can very safely do every day; walking, biking & swimming come to mind.
  • TheGymGypsy
    TheGymGypsy Posts: 1,023 Member
    If you're just walking you definitely do not need a rest day.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Rest days are for rest from strenuous exercise and really don't have much to do with weight-loss...just prevent you from over-training and injury. You don't really need a rest day from walking or even a light jog. On rest days I bike or swim...sometimes hike. If you're weight lifting you nee to rest those muscles/muscle groups to allow them to repair as weight lifting is a substantial stressor...as is endurance/long distance running, etc.
  • Gearjammer71
    Gearjammer71 Posts: 151 Member
    I took an R&R day after 45 days straight. My feet and legs were beat, and I just new I had to take it easy. I just stayed low on calories and stretched in the morning and again at night. It did me a world of good! I don't think 1 day a week is necessary though.

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