What are you doing on your off gym/exercise days?

LER67
LER67 Posts: 31 Member
edited February 2016 in Fitness and Exercise
Today is an off day for me and I've got to be honest, I'm jonesing to go to the gym. I've been at the gym 12 days straight, one of those days was supposed to be my off day but I went because I was jonesing; only walked the track that day but was still at the gym.

My body is sore and I can tell it needs some rest but it's going to kill me not to do something. Going to be a beautiful day today (mid 70's) so I'm thinking about going on a three mile walk, is that too much for an off day? Interested in others thoughts.

A little background. Jan 4 started at 271, currently 250 (Feb 10) with a goal of 200. Male late 40's.

Replies

  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    I just walk. Right now I lift and walk, that's it. 13,000 steps on non-lifting days and 10,000 on lifting days.
  • whmscll
    whmscll Posts: 2,254 Member
    3-mile walk is great, if it's flat. Not too much at all. Will stretch out your muscles without overtaxing them. Better than another gym day, IMO.
  • UG77
    UG77 Posts: 206 Member
    Walking on a recovery day is fine.
  • ew_david
    ew_david Posts: 3,473 Member
    edited February 2016
    Walking is good.

    I took my kids to the park on my rest day this week. We played basketball and some baseball. Rest day =/= sloth day, though sometimes it does for me :p
  • sanfromny
    sanfromny Posts: 770 Member
    LER67 wrote: »
    A little background. Feb 4 started at 271, currently 250 with a goal of 200. Male late 40's.

    You lost 21 pounds in 6 days?

  • LER67
    LER67 Posts: 31 Member
    whmscll wrote: »
    3-mile walk is great, if it's flat. Not too much at all. Will stretch out your muscles without overtaxing them. Better than another gym day, IMO.
    Yea it's flat walk in my neighborhood.
    sanfromny wrote: »
    LER67 wrote: »
    A little background. Feb 4 started at 271, currently 250 with a goal of 200. Male late 40's.

    You lost 21 pounds in 6 days?
    Doh, meant Jan 4 not Feb 4. Now that would be something huh?


    Thanks for the other replies. My routine is Circuit Training/Cardio, next day Cardio, next day Circuit Training/Cardio and so on.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Walk the dog, yoga, easy family hikes with the kids, recreational bike rides with the kids, spend a few hours at the zoo, playing in the park with my kids, yard work, cleaning, etc.
  • donutbears
    donutbears Posts: 21 Member
    I like active recovery days. I try to hit my step goal or do yoga. Sometimes I do nothing at all and it's glorious haha
  • jdhcm2006
    jdhcm2006 Posts: 2,254 Member
    It depends. Most times I don't get a workout in is due to me having to work late that evening, so normally it's a lot of walking around the building b/c I have to be everywhere at once it feels like. Sometimes nothing, which is nice. Sometimes yoga or stretching.
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    I'm fairly certain not working out for one day after 12 days of workouts isn't going to kill you.

    I lift six days per week and even though I love it and wouldn't mind getting in another session on Sunday, I don't because rest is extremely important.

    Walking is pretty harmless, though, so go for it. I think it would be pretty useful to learn how to take a true rest day every now and then, too.

    I spend most of my rest day meal prepping, so I'm in the kitchen for a few hours cooking. We'll usually take the dog for a walk, but it's far from 3 miles. Other than that, I go about my life as I do any other day minus the workout. I try to get in some couch sitting as well.
  • LER67
    LER67 Posts: 31 Member
    Walked three miles at an average of 3 mph. It was quite nice out 75 degrees, even broke a sweat. It was good to get some fresh air, not be in the gym with all the noise etc. Thanks for the input, may try a yoga class sometime too on an off day.
  • CollieFit
    CollieFit Posts: 1,683 Member
    Because we have two dogs we never really get a *complete* rest day, because they still need their hour walk, whatever the weather.
  • MostlyWater
    MostlyWater Posts: 4,294 Member
    I think it depends on the person.

    I would take the day completely off, but I once heard a Spin teacher ask if today's ride was anyone's rest day - and to me, Spin is a hard workout! I would never use Spin as a rest day!

    So, it's all about perspective.


  • hyg99
    hyg99 Posts: 354 Member
    On my "rest" days I just try and hit 10k on steps.
  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
    Walking on your rest day is fine. My rest days I'm usually walking as well.
  • giantrobot_powerlifting
    giantrobot_powerlifting Posts: 2,598 Member
    edited February 2016
    In meet tapering, I lift only once or twice a week at less than 85%. On the remaining days I don't train (and because I like to keep the same schedule) I walk two miles and do a dynamic/static stretching/mobility work preceded by foam rolling. (DeFranco 11, some yoga, and other things I found that help mobility.) This is a full-body routine.

    This can take me anywhere from 60 to 90 mins. (45 mins to walk, 45 minutes to run the mobility portion.)

    I leave the gym feeling awesome.
  • LilRedRooster
    LilRedRooster Posts: 1,421 Member
    I work. I'm a nurse, my shifts are enough walking for me to not feel at all guilty about missing the gym on those days. And if I'm feeling frisky, I walk stairs on my lunch break, if I have one.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,486 Member
    I shed the superwoman garb and reveal my natural sloth-like self

    By the time my rest day comes I am ready to catch up on all those things that are inactive, physically.

    Do what you need to do for you.

    Cheers, h.
  • DawnEmbers
    DawnEmbers Posts: 2,451 Member
    I just work. Am on my feet all shift, often moving around so that's sufficient on the rest days though sometimes I have my cardio on one of the weight lifting rest days. As I start getting ready to build up the long runs it's easier to have the one on a "rest day" because it's a little time consuming to run over an hour and lift within the same day, plus a bit taxing on the body too.
  • Da_Chozen_Juan
    Da_Chozen_Juan Posts: 37 Member
    I lift 4 days a week so on the 1st off day I simply work on my mobility and rest, 2nd off day I do 20-30 min of hiit cardio, 3rd off day I walk at least 10,000 steps. Don't burn yourself out, include more rest in your program man.

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