Anyone else feel guilty on "rest days?"

evandmegsmom
evandmegsmom Posts: 88 Member
edited September 24 in Health and Weight Loss
I hate days where I am scheduled for rest. I sit around feeling so guilty....I feel like if I have the time to work out, why shouldn't I? Can anyone enlighten me as to how important resting actually is? My workouts are not ultra intense. I run 3.5-4 miles (on treadmill) every other day, and alternate between a light weight workout (Biggest Loser Power Sculpt), weight loss yoga, and/or 30-Day Shred on the off days. Do I really need to rest??

Replies

  • ceebs9
    ceebs9 Posts: 511 Member
    Yes you really need to rest. And yes, I feel guilty, too.
  • hpsnickers1
    hpsnickers1 Posts: 2,783 Member
    I wouldn't feel guilty on rest days. Our bodies need rest from exercise. Exercise and dieting - to our bodies - is stress and too much can be detrimental and cause unhealthy side effects. The body doesn't differentiate between different types of stress - it is all treated the same.

    I only feel guilty when I should have worked out but I didn't. Like the past 3 days. I say enjoy that rest.
  • amysj303
    amysj303 Posts: 5,086 Member
    I would say you do not need to rest. I think it is built-in to most workout schedules to make them more manageable for most people, like if you couldn't workout for some reason, make that your rest day, and running every other day is advised, but if you want to work out everyday you are not likely going to hurt yourself.
  • lucysmommy
    lucysmommy Posts: 460
    the only thing i hate about my 1/2 rest days is that i dont have extra cals to eat lol
    xx
  • jmcniel
    jmcniel Posts: 65
    It is so your body can heal itself. Even if it is low impact you can still get injured. About 3 years ago, my dad was walking everyday without any rest, he did this for about 3 months and tore his ACL in his knee. Granted he works in the oilfield and is going up and down stairs all day and working on locations with rock on it, but the added walking and with no rest plus his daily routine I am sure added to the stress of the ligament.
  • OLP76
    OLP76 Posts: 768 Member
    I do light cardio on my rest days...only cause I have Endorphins withdrawals and I'm a creature of habit and I get cranky LOL Each to their own I guess...
  • RockaholicMama
    RockaholicMama Posts: 786 Member
    Monday and Wednesday are my scheduled rest days. I know I need rest, but I do feel guilty. I feel like I'm getting off track some how. But, just remember, you do need the rest.
  • amysj303
    amysj303 Posts: 5,086 Member
    oh, I just noticed, though, you probably shouldn't do more cardio on your non-running days.
  • mishmash73
    mishmash73 Posts: 166 Member
    on my rest ... i clean like a mad women...i burned 410 calories in 60 minutes ( per my heart rate monitor)...
  • JennLifts
    JennLifts Posts: 1,913 Member
    Muscle rebuilds on rest days. Vital. But no, no guilt here. Man... if I work out 7 days in a row, I've earned a bit of a break! Now bored... that's another story!
  • JennLifts
    JennLifts Posts: 1,913 Member
    on my rest ... i clean like a mad women...i burned 410 calories in 60 minutes ( per my heart rate monitor)...

    Killer!
  • tahoemads
    tahoemads Posts: 64 Member
    Rest means recovery. So yes, your body always needs some type of recovery. When you strength train you are essentially causing minuscule tearing in your muscles, so they need to recover in order to strengthen - and essentially change.

    As for running, if you overdo it and do not allow your body to recover, you can cause painful shin splits. It is possible to over train. But if you feel like you're not truly pushing yourself, how about adding in some interval or speed work?

    Everyone is different. Some people can increase their mileage for weeks and train well. Others need at least 2 rest days per week. So it depends on your fitness level and how hard you're pushing yourself.

    But don't feel guilty - rest doesn't mean you have to be sedentary! You can still take a walk or stretch/yoga. But don't feel badly if you choose to relax, maybe take a hot epsom salt bath. It's great to mentally recover as well. :)
  • iplayoutside19
    iplayoutside19 Posts: 2,304 Member
    I have two schools of thought on this. Sometimes my schedule dictates that I take a rest day. When that happens I try and manuver my work outs around it.

    Other times my body essentially tells me I need a rest day. In that case I might do something active just to get the blood moving, but nothing very strenious.

    I attempt to get those two days together, but it doesn't always work.

    If you're laying around on a rest day, and your're ready to go, and you feel good....Go for it. My goal is to work out hard enough on workout days that I don't feel guilty on rest days.
  • ♥BETHANY♥
    ♥BETHANY♥ Posts: 56
    I'm in the same delima but i do try and work out on my days off even if its light so that way i dont feel guilty :)
  • RachelleStarson
    RachelleStarson Posts: 7 Member
    I don't rest. I do something every day. now one day a week I do a nice hr yoga or Pilate type thing and that's it and yes on that day I feel guilty but I do cardio everyday pretty much that's me <3:glasses:
  • FullOfSpice
    FullOfSpice Posts: 176 Member
    I always feel guilty. For some reason I get hungrier on my rest days so I end up wanting to eat more than my daily allowance. However, rest is very important. I've seen most improvements when I take a day off or two in between my runs/workouts...

    Try meditating or doing something less straining like stretching....
  • josavage
    josavage Posts: 472 Member
    I don't plan rest days. Sometimes my schedule doesn't allow me to get to the gym or outside for a run but I will work out 7 days a week if I can. I mix up my workouts so I'm not doing the same thing every day.
  • amo72
    amo72 Posts: 7 Member
    I do, but my workouts the rest of the time are SO much better if I do take those rest days.
  • CurriedGrasshopper
    CurriedGrasshopper Posts: 86 Member
    Rest days are vital.. as I am learning a little bit too late with having to enforce myself over this weekend (on my days off no less - prime time to get a long workout in!!) .. If you're doing too much you will start to get symptoms of overtraining because your muscles are not getting the rest they need to heal.

    Look up overtraining on google, it's good to know limits :)

    But yes, I feel guilty too.
  • daddyratty
    daddyratty Posts: 305 Member
    I don't feel guilty on most rest days, but today is rest day #2 (so far I'm just running 3 days a week, though I'll be mixing in other stuff eventually). I do feel a little "out of it" today.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    Generally no. I don't feel guilty. It's either because the rest is very much needed, or I am busy and can't do anything about it anyways.
    However if I string too many off days together it get antsy. Several weeks back I was sick. I knew it was better to rest, I didn't feel guilty for doing so, it was the smart thing to do, but by the time I recovered I was more than ready to get back at it.
  • QueenofCups
    QueenofCups Posts: 365 Member
    I used to not take rest days, but now weekends are so busy around here I end up taking the weekend off most of the time.
    I feel guilty some of the time, but most of the time I don't have time to feel guilty.

    If you want or need the rest, then rest. If you feel good do light cardio or go for a walk outside, or like someone else said - clean the house. Just try not to do strength training more than 3 days a week so your muscles can rebuild and recover. (Unless you are training to body build).
  • Nigel99
    Nigel99 Posts: 498 Member
    No - I don't feel guilty at all. I almost always end up doing something that is active on those days anyway, but I don't think anybody should be feeling guilty on a rest day. As long as you are exercising and eating right, there is nothing wrong with a rest day.
  • beerbomber
    beerbomber Posts: 184 Member
    Just throw this out there but I was going hiking this past Sunday for almost 20 miles so I decided to rest Friday and ended up resting Saturday due to work but I weighed myself Sunday Morning and lost 2 1/2 lbs. Sometimes your body needs to fix itself to be at it's peak performance. You would not drive a car at 7000 RPM's all day everyday now would you, get your rest.
  • AllyS7
    AllyS7 Posts: 480 Member
    No I don't feel guilty but I don't literally sit around the house all day. On my "rest" days I'm usually doing something else like yoga, Insanity Cardio Recovery, abdominal, arm and back workouts, or somedays I'm just too busy.
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