This may seem backwards to you, but rest days are equally as important as workout days. Yep, you heard me right! It’s just as important for your body to rest as it is for you to hit the gym!
Now, there will be some seasons in life (preparing for a competition, special events, etc) that you push your body a little harder. But in general, the art of building strength, increasing your endurance, or losing weight is a PROCESS! It takes time and there are several steps in the process.
Whether you are going to the gym for the first time in years or you are a veteran at the gym, the first step is showing up! This step may be like pulling teeth for some while others can’t wait to get to exercise. The amount of times you workout a week will vary, but no matter what you are being active, getting your heart rate up, and challenging yourself. From there, you always need to refuel your body. The proper way to refuel is PROTEIN and HEALTHY CARBS. Then you need to REST! Your body needs time to recover. Again, the amount of time may vary, but it is needed for your body to hit your health and fitness goals.
W O R K O U T … R E F U E L … R E S T … R E P E A T
Note, rest days allow your muscles, nerves, bones, etc to recover and rebuild. Without these days, your body with get burnt out. Often times, burnout leads to regression instead of progression. The amount of time between workouts will often depend on how hard the workout is and what your goals are.
Ultimately, rest days will look different for each person. However, they are important for everyone ranging from athletes to first timers at the gym. Listen to your body. Take care of your body. And your body will take care of you 🙂