Happy Monday!! Hopefully you’re feeling rested and motivated from the weekend. I know I am after just getting back from 4 days in Lake Powell. It wasn’t quite long enough, but it was still the perfect getaway to free myself from social media for a few days and let the body rest away from the gym. Which means it’s the perfect time to remind YOU of the importance of resting. Let’s chat.
Ok, so hopefully we all know that working out is important. And I’m hoping that you’re working out at this point. If not, it’s time to find a workout you love and stick with it. But if you’ve been working out consistently at any point, you’ve probably overdone it once or twice. Whether that was during a workout or too many workouts in a row or even too many workouts in a day, most of us have felt some sort of fatigue. But just like any endorphin high, working out can be addicting. And when we see results, it’s easy to believe that we will see more results with the more workouts we do.
But rest is just as important as working out. When you constantly put stress on the muscles, tissues and systems, they need time to repair so they can catch back up for the next workout. Just like how we need sleep every single day, the body also needs rest. If rest isn’t incorporated into your fitness routine, not only are you increasing the bodies vulnerability for fatigue, poor sleep, messed up hormones, immunity and mood, but you’re also hindering the bodies ability to rebuild those tissues that were broken down. Which means all that hard work you’re putting in may not be visible. You want to see your muscle definition and weight loss or weight gain, right? That’s why I workout – I want to visually see my body change from all my hard work. And when you’re not resting, that muscle turnover and healing can’t happen meaning your progress will be slowed and your visible changes will be hindered.
Our bodies were made to be pushed and to be physically and mentally stressed, but they were also built for rest and relaxation. And that means FULLY resting. Before I started taking 2 rest days per week, I would workout multiple times per day and I would run 3-5 miles on my rest days. I never truly rested. I believed that the more work I put into it, the more results I would see. Then when I decided to finally listen to my body and take those rest days, my body completed changed. It took years, but it changed. My muscle definition begin to show more, my body weight decreased and my movements in the gym actually improved.
More isn’t always better. Remember that. If you work hard, your need rest. So let the body rest, recover and fully benefit from your work days! Whether that’s a week off while on vacation or the weekend off every couple months or taking multiple rest days during the week, DO IT. Take care of yourself! Now let’s get after it on this Monday!
Sunday – Rest Day
Monday – Orange Theory Class – see workout here
Tuesday – Orange Theory Class – see workout here (This was the modified Tornado workout for the day)
Wednesday – Rest Day/Wake surfing in Lake Powell
Thursday – Rest Day/Wake surfing in Lake Powell
Friday – Rest Day/Wake surfing in Lake Powell
Saturday – Rest Day
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Free Travel Workout:
2 rounds:
100 alt. walking lunges
80 mountain climbers
60 tuck jumps
40 alt bicep curls
20 heavy DB front squats
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Does the guilt of taking time off ever really go away? I just took 1 1/2 weeks off the gym due to Hurricane Irma. I wasn’t ready to take a break as I’ve taken plenty this year already and got home from vacation not long ago. But if the most inconvenient thing for me from the hurricane was not being able to get to the gym then I have a pretty blessed life. So it did not bother me at all. However, I’m struggling to get back into my normal routine. Not through lack of motivation, but because I’m so damn sore from working out again. I’ve had a few easy workouts this week and have taken additional days off. I know this is ridiculous but it’s starting to play on my mind. Does this happen to you?
The picture of you on the water board (is that river surfing or what?) is awesome!
Wish that I was so strong!