Should you take days off from exercise?

BeautyFromPain
BeautyFromPain Posts: 4,952 Member
edited September 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I was just wondering, should you exercise 7 days a week? Or should you have a rest day? Or should you do hard cardio 6 days a week and just walk on the 7th? What do you do??

Replies

  • leilani♥
    leilani♥ Posts: 579
    I do hard cardio 7 days a week. I am new to diet & exercise so I may be doing this wrong. Good topic!
  • Pink_turnip
    Pink_turnip Posts: 280 Member
    rest is important so your muscles have time to recover. When you exercise, it 'breaks down' your muscles, and you need to rest for them 're-build'.
  • babyblake11
    babyblake11 Posts: 1,107 Member
    i have 6 days a week where i will always exercise. then on sunday ill just go for a walk by choice because i never get the chance too. i think either have 1 day off or one day where you will tone it down and do some light enjoyable exercise.
  • PSUgrl921
    PSUgrl921 Posts: 368 Member
    I take it easy at least once a week. For example, today was my easy day this week. I did go to the gym and did an easy half hour on the elliptical. Usually I walk on my easy days but it's just too hot outside and I don't like the treadmill. In my opinion rest days are a good idea. I take them when I feel like my body is telilng me too. Today when I woke up I just felt exhausted. Some people, however, work out 7 days a week and are fine.

    I'm a strong believer in the "listen to your body" approach.

    Nicole
  • sc1572
    sc1572 Posts: 2,309 Member
    I try to do cardio everyday, but switch it up. My normal routine while home from school during the summer is four days of treadmill/elliptical and weights, two spinning/cycling classes a week, and one Body Combat class a week. If I have time, I also combine yoga in. :)
  • BethlovesRene
    BethlovesRene Posts: 85 Member
    I was told the same thing- that you should rest at least 1 day per week. Curious to see what others thoughts are....
  • Kiluvm
    Kiluvm Posts: 9 Member
    I was told at least 4 days a week. How long do you exercise?
  • capNramsey
    capNramsey Posts: 35 Member
    I think you need a rest day at least once a week. I know I get drained if I don't take a day off. I do a variety of cardio, kettle bells, zumba and yoga. For me, I found adding weights helped with the weight loss. I started just doing cardio for a while, but the weights help with my strength and weight loss tremendously.
  • JustBreathe418
    JustBreathe418 Posts: 355 Member
    I am also a believer in the "listen to your body" approach. I would say that most weeks I work out almost everyday, but I don't go hard everyday and I don't always do the same things. I definitely give myself easy days where I do a quick 20 min low impact workout and then go for a walk, or something like that.
  • asilmegan34
    asilmegan34 Posts: 256 Member
    I say listen to your body. For me, I have better eating and sleeping habits on days I work out. So I just work out according to how I feel. I try to run 3-4 days a week, swim on off days. If I feel too tired I will just walk the dog or something.
  • bigfatbino
    bigfatbino Posts: 136 Member
    I take one day off for absolute rest. no gym, no hard cardio, no fat burn, just chilling out. I take another day of the week for "light exercise. Maybe a a walk around the neighborhood, or to a park or something.
    Overdoing it can be just as bad as not doing enough. My routine looks something like this (though I do switch it up periodically to keep myself in check) might be useful for some ideas. Hope it helps =)

    Mon: Morning: Stretching/Pushup routine; Afternoon: Gym for hard cardio on stairmaster, treadmill, or elliptical

    Tues: Morning: Stretching/Squats/Abs routine; Afternoon: Gym for extended fat-burn exercises

    Wednesday: Morning: Stretching/Pushup routine; Afternoon: Walk around the neighborhood, very light exercise (rest day)

    Thursday: Morning: Stretching/Squats/Abs routine: Afternoon: Gym for extended fat-burn routine

    Friday: Morning: Stretching/pushup routine: Afternoon: Weight vest long-walk

    Saturday: Morning: Stretching only. Rest and hydrate all day

    Sunday: Light stretching and calisthenics + go do something fun outside of the gym. (swim, bike, walk, jog, hike, whatever, as long as it's outside and different).
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