Take a Rest Day!

Ever have one of those days where you are just exhausted?  Yep, me too!  Here lately, it's been more than usual.  I feel mentally and physically exhausted.  So, even though it's important to workout and push your body, it's also important to take a rest day or two.  Listen to your body, it will never tell you wrong!  Now that doesn't mean, sit around all day and do nothing, it means, don't push your body as hard!  Take active rest days!  I will admit that I took the weekend off, not because I wanted to, but because I was crazy busy and just couldn't fit it in to my schedule.  I usually only take one day off, but, this week, I am taking 3.  Today is day 3 but it didn't mean I slept in nor does it mean that I am sitting on my computer all day!  I have cleaned house and getting tons of laundry done!  Just keeping my body  in motion by cleaning, I burned over 500 calories!  Yep, that's right!  Tonight, I plan on going for a walk.  Nothing overly pushing it, but just a nice walk.  I have never taken this many days off in a row from my workouts (except when I was sick) and my hand weights.  I'm excited to see if this will also help me tone better and get through a plateau that I have been stuck at.  Will let you know how my body re-acts to this!

Why is it important for rest days?  Your muscles need time to heal and repair.  You've been ripping those babies for days and they need healing time.  Another reason to take a rest day?  Burn out!  You don't want to get burnt out on doing good for your body, if you do, you will relapse and end up doing nothing and all that hard work goes to waste.  I get burnt out as well, so that is why I had adapted the following schedule:

Mon-Fri, I hit it hard with cardio for 30 min, then another 30 min toning session.  Sometimes each is longer than that, but that is a typical time frame for me.

Sat is a light day.  I will walk/run, yoga, or a toning session but nothing major.

Sunday - a complete rest day.  Sometimes I am active by hiking, walking, etc. but most days, I just veg out after church.  I deserve it!

If you would like, try my schedule out and then report back to me and let me know how it works for you!

Happy resting!