Can we talk rest days?

[Anonymous]

So the question I always have is, do you *really* love exercise so much that you don't want to take a rest day or do you not want to take a rest day out of fear; fear that you will gain weight, lose fitness and so forth?

I use to never want a rest day because of fear. Now I love rest days and know I perform better when I have rested. I also work a lot harder on my workout days so I need the rest. That said, I don't just lay on the couch all day on rest days either, ok some rest days I do but I will go for a walk if i just feel like moving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So the question I always have is, do you *really* love exercise so much that you don't want to take a rest day or do you not want to take a rest day out of fear; fear that you will gain weight, lose fitness and so forth?

I use to never want a rest day because of fear. Now I love rest days and know I perform better when I have rested. I also work a lot harder on my workout days so I need the rest. That said, I don't just lay on the couch all day on rest days either, ok some rest days I do but I will go for a walk if i just feel like moving.

PP for me it’s fear. I would love a week off of burpees and beating up my body in some of the hard workouts I do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So the question I always have is, do you *really* love exercise so much that you don't want to take a rest day or do you not want to take a rest day out of fear; fear that you will gain weight, lose fitness and so forth?

I use to never want a rest day because of fear. Now I love rest days and know I perform better when I have rested. I also work a lot harder on my workout days so I need the rest. That said, I don't just lay on the couch all day on rest days either, ok some rest days I do but I will go for a walk if i just feel like moving.

PP for me it’s fear. I would love a week off of burpees and beating up my body in some of the hard workouts I do.

Then take a week off. I promise a week off will not ruin you. Really it won't. Endurance won't be lost and you will be just fine. At the very least take at least 2 rest days a week. Your body needs rest so you can perform better and recover.

[Anonymous]

I struggle with rest days. I also had (have) an eating disorder so obviously have issues. I am not happy on rest days- I think I am addicted to exercise and a rest day is withdrawal. I now have a healthy relationship with food and never want to go back to weighing myself or limiting food. Exercise makes me feel strong and gives me the confidence to not worry about a number on a scale. I am not fat, I am not super thin like I was when I starved myself. I am healthy and probably go up and down a few pounds throughout a year. My last Doctor appt said I wAs 5'3" and 118 lbs. I was once 90lbs in my twenties I have come so far and prefer my exercise addiction to my old ways. Rest day hardly happen. A good spin session at slower than normal pace for a bit longer than normal. I prefer having recovery days. Body still gets some rest. I may incorporate a full week of recovery days every few months. .