Feeling tired, worn down and just plain sore all over? It is probably time for a rest day my lovely!
Exercise can be addicting and sometimes it can be hard to tell ourselves to take a rest day. If your body is giving you signals of being tired and worn down, do not ignore them! Rest days are vital for allowing our muscles time to repair so they do not become tight and damaged. You must make sure you are stretching properly after each workout and taking a full day off of exercise (no strenuous hiking either!) to make sure you do not get injured. Overtraining can result in some painful injuries (shin splints, knew injuries and etc) that can make it hard for you to keep exercising. And if you continue to not let your muscles rest, you may tear or break something, and you may be forced to rest for months on end (i.e. no exercise for months)!
“Give yourself a break“
As well as physical rest, be sure to give yourself some ‘mental rest’ too. By this I mean the mean things we say to ourselves in our heads such as ‘Ugh, I am so fat’, ‘Why can’t I look like X?’. You would be surprised at how much of an effect this negative mental activity can have on you. Unfortunately, this sort of thought mentality is not uncommon amongst women today and I am certainly no exception. Although I have a pretty good attitude about myself and things in general, I can still get some really dark days where I compare myself to others and wonder why my progress is not like theirs. Having a journal really helps me get my mind off things, as does a good manicure/pedicure or spa day (if you can afford it, which I can’t lol).
Trust me, just take a day off!! Relax, recuperate and your body and mind will thank you so, so much for it.
Honestly yours,
Alice
