Today is the last day to enter my I Am Brand running shirt giveaway! I will announce the winner in Monday’s post.
I wore my shirt for my treadmill run the other day and it did awesome! You don’t want to miss out! Please ignore how creepy I look in this picture it’s the best I could do. HA!
The weekend is here! I hope everyone is able to relax and enjoy it!
Today is going to be my first “longer” run and when I say that I mean 4-5 miles. My “long runs” sure have changed! I’m ready for it though because with each push I get a little bit stronger.
Yesterday I actually took a rest day. I had already scheduled to rest, but I kept playing with the idea of heading to the gym to get one quick sweat session in. I could have gone and I would have been fine, but I opted to give my leg a day of complete rest before tomorrow. Hopefully it will be worth it!
I wouldn’t say it was quite as restful as my cat’s was, but I at least took a break from they gym!
Rest days are hard for me. If you have been following me since before my stress fracture you will know I was never good with rest days. I always wanted to get SOMETHING in regardless of how small.
I am trying to learn from my mistakes. It doesn’t mean I can’t go lift weights if I feel like it, but it does mean that I need to know when my body is warning me.
I have started to recognize the signs that are telling me that I need to take a rest day.
1. Fatigue/Exhaustion
2. Extreme Muscle Tightness
3. Unfocused
4. Feeling like the only reason I am doing it is because I HAVE to work out
I used to think some of these were normal before my injury. I used to push my body through fatigue, really painful muscles, and just kept telling myself I HAD to get a workout in. I have learned that these signs above aren’t always normal. Of course there are days where I lack motivation and that doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t work out, but when I completely cannot focus and am feeling exhausted I know my body needs a REAL recovery day.
Even though I still deal with some of those demons now, I am able to tell myself it is OK to stop and take a break. That my body will thank me for it during my next workout.
My husband never takes a rest day, and it works for him. My body on the other hand needs at least one per week and I am finally understand that.
Off to the gym for me. I took my rest day and now it is time to get back to work! 🙂
Do you take a rest day?
How many do you take per week?
I generally take about three rest days a week. I know that seems like a lot to some people, but for someone who has plantar fasciitis that tends to flare up a lot, this is just the right amount of time for me to rest and prevent my foot from getting injured, while still being able to keep my mileage up. I hope to start weight lifting on days that I’m not running though, as this is one form of cross-training that shouldn’t affect my foot. Weight lifting just seems a little but scary to me, though!
I don’t think it sounds like a lot because I have learned that everyone’s body is different and everyone needs to figure out what works for them! I used to think no rest day would work for me, but it doesn’t! My husband can do it but I can’t. and that’s OK! Sometimes I weight train – sometimes I don’t. It just comes down to listening to my body.
Weight training is scary at first but once you start doing it – it get so much easier! If you want some suggestions of how to begin shoot me an email I would be happy to help!
I take one per 7-10 days usually but I switch things up all the time depending on how my body feels. Case in point: have one scheduled for Monday (9 days after last one) but woke up today just fatigued as heck so I’m switching it around and resting today instead 🙂
Great job listening to your body! It’s amazing the signs it gives you! Yes yesterday I was tired…getting back into big exercise after breaking for injury I have to go SLOW!
I have had to learn the hard way to take rest days! I never used to take them. And was constantly getting injured. Finally learned to give myself ONE per week. And now I am working on adding in even more. It is HARD because I just don’t feel myself when I don’t work out but I am learning that if I want to run and stay injury free I need to. Today was a total unplanned rest day and I am trying not to be a baby about it. We got snow and I do not want to use my treadmill anymore (I feel it injures me) and I don’t think it’s worth it to go out in the snow just to get to the rec center to use the indoor track. So, trying to just “suck it up” and say “this all happens for a reason….your body can always use the extra rest”. Learning, learning, learning 🙂
As you know I have learned the hard way too! Even one day a week can be so beneficial for your body! We live and we learn 🙂
I take 1-2 rest days per week. But some times I will include yoga or walking on rest days, other days I just completely rest. I try to listen to my body and what it really needs. Yesterday ended up being an unplanned rest day.
I agree sometimes I don’t do complete rest either. I will often lift weights, stretch, or occasionally (thought not in a long time) do yoga!
One thing I have found that helped with that nagging desire to do “something” even when I was scheduled to rest was yoga. I have found that (for my body), I can do an easy yoga session and it still “counts” as a rest day – in fact, it really helps my recovery and prevents injuries (again, for me). So, if you’re struggling again with feeling like you need/ want to do something, I like yogadownload.com, which has several free 20 minute sessions, or there are some on YouTube as well!
I really need to get back into yoga! I used to do it more but with tim constraints it was the first to get cut out! Great idea! I will have to try the yogadownload.com!!
Good job taking a rest day! Sometimes the signs of needing a rest day aren’t very obvious until its too late. Since I am not great at recognizing the early signs, I always schedule one rest day in per week. Like Megan said above, yoga is a great way to deal with the antsy feeling that can go along with taking a rest day. It makes me feel like I did something and I also get a good stretch in!
I agree I really need to get back into yoga! I have overlooked the signs many times I think I just often need to slow down and really listen to what my body is telling me!
Rest days are extremely difficult for me too. I have learned to embrace rest day on Sunday and enjoy it. I do however often get a hot vinyasa yoga class on Sunday aka “rest day” and find it to be a RESToritive day but you stil get a detox sweat! I don’t do it every week but I’m always happy when I do! Or I at least spend quality time with my yoga strap at home on Sunday!
Happy Weekend!
Brooke
Lots of readers are suggesting yoga – I think I need to get back into it! I hope you have a great weekend as well 🙂
Definitely good signs that your body needs a break. I always take a rest day once a week (or sometimes once every two weeks). I want to make sure that I’m keeping ahead of any potential problems that come from over-training. 🙂
Exactly! Rest days can really help tremendously!
It isn’t just important to listen to your body – it is also important to ANTICIPATE what your body needs. Without rest you cannot maximize your fitness, that is just the basics of how exercise and muscles work. Rest days aren’t just helpful, they are essential.
Exactly what ‘rest’ means is another story, though … and that is important and what I assume Wes is doing. Varying the parts of the body that are being worked allows one part to work while another rests.
It seems so easy to keep pushing and pushing so long as our bodies don’t give out – especially when young. But look at so many runners and other athletes who push and push and by 35 are basically done for life. Is it really worth skipping those rest days if that is the end result?
Of course, I talk big, but on my ‘rest day’ I was out shoveling a foot of snow rather than having my teenage boys do it 🙂
Just a thought …