Do you feel guilty when you take a break from the gym?

As long as your not pigging out too much then taking breaks is ok. After all your body isn't a machine, it does need a few breaks. I usually have one day a week where I do nothing, just to give myself a rest. As long as you try and exercise 4-5 times a week then you will be fine . Besides when it comes to weight loss it's more about your diet then exercise anyway.

Taking a break from the gym is definitely okay. Your body needs some time to recover. If you do any resistance or weight lifting exercises, then it's actually during the rest time that your muscles are building and getting stronger. (You stress the muscles and break them down during your workout and then your body heals them and builds them up stronger over the next couple of days.)

It's even a good idea to take a break from vigorous cardio once or twice a week. If you get too exhausted it lowers your body's immune response, and you can get sick easier. If you're just feeling too guilty, take an easy walk or something else that gets you moving but isn't too strenuous.

I'm someone that cannot take a break, because I have a hard time getting started again. I do way better when I set aside a certain amount of time everyday and do something. So, I have what I call an 'active' rest day, which is basically yoga for stress relief. Great stretches, and brings some inner peace and clarity.

This might be a little different than what you are referring to, but recently the weather was very, very nice here and I ran for 7 days in a row (outside) and then it rained yesterday so I went to the gym, and I couldn't help but wonder if 'someone' might think I fell off the 'wagon' so to say.

Early this winter I was working out 1.5 hour to 2 hours a day with no break and one day I found myself in tears at the thought of going to the gym.... I reevaluated my workouts took them down a notch and made sure I took a day off every week to 10 days adn now I feel much better.

I'm with you on feeling guitly, even though rationally I know there's no point in it. I think it's because I know that things come up and I have days off anyway, so when I just TAKE a day off, I feel like a bum. I like what the earlier poster said about "active" rest days. Sometimes it's nice to go to the gym without the intent of really pushing it. It's good to take an hour to myself and just putter around on the bike, listen to some music and relax.

I take a complete week off from exercise every 3 months for sure. It does my body and more importantly my mind a world of good. No sense risking fitness burnout if you want to sustain good living for the rest of your life. It was definately a mental struggle the first time around but now I look forward to it.

interesting, I was sick and had to miss a week, I came back feeling good and with improved times on my run. certainly something to think about.