This Is Why Your Workout Routine Must Include Rest Days
One trainer’s take on the importance of skipping the gym.
If you’ve recently committed to a fitness plan, your enthusiasm may push you to hit the gym every single day. No matter how excited you are to reach that fitness goal, don’t. Trust us: Your mind and body need a recovery day.
Most fitness plans call for three to four workouts a week, not seven. That’s because exercise places stress on your muscles and joints. This is a good kind of stress, as long as your body gets a day or two off to recover. Not giving your body a rest day could lead to overuse injuries, like plantar fasciitis.
A recovery day doesn’t have to mean doing nothing, though. If you’re looking to maintain an active lifestyle even on a rest day, here’s what to do on rest days:
- Low-intensity activity like walking the dog or riding a bike
- Stretch it out (try practicing these daily stretches)
- Eat right for fuel for tomorrow’s workout
- Hydrate to make up for all that sweating
Notice anything? These are all healthy habits you should be doing anyway, even if you’re not on a fitness plan! So schedule out your four-day workout, and dedicate the remaining rest days to spend time with friends, family, and your adorable dog.
Coach, trainer, and 10-year veteran of the fitness world, Holly Rilinger is known as one of the most inspiring motivational trainers in the game.
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Sleep and
rest are the unsung hero of fitness.
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You need a break mentally.
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The other thing is,
you want to avoid injury.
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Your body needs a break.
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It's only gonna get you
closer to your goals.
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Now leave me alone, it's my day off.
Your Guide To Physical Activity and Your Heart. Bethesda, MD: National Institute of Health: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2006. (Accessed March 29, 2017 at https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/resources/heart/obesity-guide-physical-active-html - tc26.)