Something that often gets us into trouble is the idea that more is better. That is certainly the issue with food in our super size society, but I am actually referring today to exercise. I sometimes have clients who, when we start working together, tell me they are working out 7 days a week. One of the first things I tell them to do is take a day off.
Like telling someone to eat more to lose weight, telling them to take a day off from exercise is a perplexing thought. How does not exercising help me get stronger, healthier and burn fat? I can see that question in their faces as I outline a program for them were they may only be working out 5 or 6 days a week.
The first thing I have to do is remind them that muscles get bigger and stronger during the recovery process. So a rest period between weight workouts (typically a day in between working a group of muscles, but sometimes longer depending on intensity) is very important to making progress. The second thing I explain to them is rest does not mean turning into a couch potato for 24 hours.
On days we aren’t doing a formal workout, we should still be active in some way. These are the days to enjoy things like walking or sports, things we do for enjoyment and that get us moving but may not be the all out effort we expend during our formal workout. I recommend doing things that work on flexibility, like yoga, team sports or lighter cardiovascular activities like walking or leisurely biking.
Activity is often missing from our daily lives. We spend too many hours in front of the television, at a computer and/or sitting at a desk. Our bodies are designed to move. Getting in our weight and cardio workouts are very important and I think everyone should be at least doing some form of strength training. Often what pushes people further down the road in their journeys, what really gets them to the healthy and fit place they want to be, is finding other ways of being active in their day.
So when I recommend a rest day, it is not a day to sit and do nothing. It is a day to move your body in less formal ways, like playing for adults. Get out and walk for the sake of walking and enjoying a nice evening. Or join a softball league to move and have fun with others. It’s about giving your body a break from high intensity and giving it an opportunity to play – something we adults need to do more of.
What’s your favorite active rest activity?
