I have a problem. I can’t take a rest day. I could tell you all about the benefits of taking a rest day but I can’t seem to do it myself.
I’ll rest body parts… lift upper one day and lower the next day. And I take lots of days off running by doing something low impact- like the arc trainer. But a complete rest day? That’s very hard for me to do.
The only exception is if it’s before a race. I am able to rest for up to three days before a race in which I want to perform well. I don’t ENJOY the rest, but I know it will help me PR. So I do it! I look at it as part of my preparation.
Lately, I've been really tired on the weekends. I can’t really get anything done because all I have energy to do after the work week is lay on the couch. This weekend, my body was very tired. I thought a rest day was in order. I figured Tuesday would be a great day for a rest because we had in-service… which meant I wouldn’t have to teach… which meant I wouldn’t need energy… which meant I could do without my daily dose of morning endorphins.
The anxiety started Monday night when I realized I wouldn’t be able to work out the next day. I set my alarm for 6am and 7am… I wanted to give myself the chance to work out in the morning. The 6am wake up call would provide me that chance. Or, I could turn it off and go back to sleep for another hour.
When my alarm went off at 6am Tuesday morning, I turned it off and closed my eyes. I was so tired. “I’m going to sleep in!” I told myself. But 20 seconds later I was out of bed and putting on my workout gear.
I know I need to start taking legitimate, full body rest days. And I could do it if I wanted to. I mean, it shouldn’t be that hard to NOT exercise, right? People DON’T exercise all the TIME.
I’ve got some mental stuff to go through before I commit to this, though. I’ll let you know when I make the decision to go balls to the wall and schedule a rest day at least every 10 days. Because if I declare my goal to you all, I will not want to fail!
How often do you take rest days?
Do you schedule them, or do they happen organically?
I used to feel guilty taking rest days but over time I realized it was a sign that I was addicted to exercise. We moved about a year ago and my new commute made it impossible to find time to workout as much so I had to cut back.
ReplyDeleteNow I am much more relaxed about it. If I need time to rest, I take it without guilt. Instead, I'll just take my dog for a long walk or something. Of course, I try to get back on the wagon as soon as possible but I don't beat myself up about it anymore.
Also, keep in mind that once you are in good shape, it doesn't take as much to maintain that. So you won't get out of shape by missing a day and it's healthier for you to rest if you aren't feeling so great.
Okay, longest comment ever. Sorry! :)
So many good points, Sarah! That is awesome you got to the point where you could just be chill about taking a rest day. My goal is to be like you!
DeleteI used to feel terrible mentally when I took a rest day, and I'd yell at people and generally just be a terrible person. These days, I think I've gotten to a healthier place where I can balance my off days without feeling bad. It helps to still be "active" on rest days...walking all day in my classroom helps take the edge off haha.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, teaching is definitely and active rest day! In fact,it's more exercise than a lot of people do :)
DeleteI usually have about 1 rest day a week and if I don't have a late night out that particular week, I won't take a rest day. I alternate running days with weight days. In addition, I save my running legs by alternating outside and treadmill runs. Ultimately I never "technically" have a rest day because my dog gets walked no matter what! :)
ReplyDeleteYou are such a good dog mommy!! :) Your tactics are the same as mine... resting body parts, weights, etc.
DeleteI'm glad to read about someone else having a problem with taking a rest day. I rarely take rest days and when I am forced to, I am grumpy and even feel a little guilty about eating my normal foods. I know my body would perform better if I would just take one rest day once in awhile, but I think I am just so addicted to the endorphins and the general 'feed goodness' after a workout that I am not willing to take one yet. Again, glad to hear I am not alone in this thought process.
ReplyDeleteIt's so hard! I feel your pain. I suppose there are worse things to be addicted to than exercise. ;) We'll get there someday.
ReplyDeletei do think rest days are important.. especially for running.. you don't want to risk injury in your calves and ankles.. occasionally you have to give them a break for a day or two.
ReplyDeletei've been there before as well.. if you just HAVE to workout.. perhaps you could do an upper body workout instead of running here and there..
I totally agree. Runners should not be pounding the pavement every day! Right now I strength train 4 days a week (split body parts) and run 3 days a week. I used to run every day. I am so proud that I have overcome that!
DeleteI think for me, exercise actually DOES make me feel good and energetic, so why wouldn't I want to exercise, right? But I know in my mind rest days are important. I think something like a nice walk would be OK. I used to take just one day off, but now that I'm running and that's out of my "wheelhouse" I'm taking 2.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you have a healthy balance, Tonya! I want to get there.
DeleteThis is ironic considering the post I just wrote, but you need more rest! I take three rest days a week and it seems the more rest I take, the better I feel. Soon I will be skipping the gym altogether ;)
ReplyDeleteI know, Tara! It's so weird how I KNOW what I need but I am not willing to do it yet. I need to get over myself, right??? But considering I used to do 2 hrs of cardio a day, I made a lot of progress. It's time to take the next step. Maybe "rest day" should be my new years resolution???
DeleteI am the same way! I can not take a total rest day. I just can't and I know it is bad and really points to exercise addiction. But I don;t do hardcore workouts everyday, some days are lighter, but I still can not go a day with out doing something...
ReplyDeleteI understand! I am currently forcing myself to take one once a week but I do not like it at ALL. However, nothing horrible has happened so far. Some mild anxiety on rest days, but that's it. I haven't pigged out or gotten super sad about it... so that's good!
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