Why You Need Rest Days
Picture this: you finally find a workout routine you dig. You're so happy because you finally found something fun and effective — something that makes you actually look forward to the gym!
So you take advantage and workout every. single. day.
You start believing you can't go a day without it...and start feeling guilty or anxious on the days you don't have the time.
🛑 This is a sign that it's time to slow your roll and remember that it's not only okay, but CRUCIAL to take rest days!
I know it's so easy to get carried away with working out once you've realized how amazing you feel. But if we don't rest, we don't recover. And if we don't recover... well, we just don't make any more progress. Remind yourself to chill out, because your body needs that down to have a chance to repair those muscle fibers.
There are 2 types of rest days you can take, and both have their benefits:
1️⃣ Active rest days
2️⃣ Passive rest days
Active rest days are perfect on the days you just don't feel like watching Netflix on your couch all day — instead, you want to get out and go for a long walk or an easy bike ride. This kind of movement can help increase blood flow to your muscles and speed up muscle repair. Another good option for active recovery is yoga!
Passive rest days are stay-in-bed-all-day kinda days and help with fighting fatigue. Sometimes your body needs serious rest! Sleep in, stay cozy and read a book. If you feel "lazy", you're really not — you're healing your body!
Benefits to taking regular rest days:
Allows time for recovery
Prevents muscle fatigue
Improves performance
Reduces risk of injury
Supports healthy sleep
Fit in AT LEAST 1 rest day per week. If you're feeling energized, plan for active recovery. If you're feeling called to rest, listen to your body!
Signs you probably need a rest day:
Problems sleeping
Moodiness (stress and anxiety feel high; irritability)
Reduced performance
Fatigue
Muscle and/or joint pain
Soreness that lingers
Missing or irregular periods
Frequently getting sick
However you spend your rest day(s), your body will thank you. Remember to still eat properly on your rest days as well — this isn’t an excuse to not follow your plan. You're setting yourself up for a sustainable fitness journey, rather than setting yourself up to burn out completely.
