There was a time a couple of years ago when I was a major fitness freak – I would wake up at the insane hour of 4.45, be at the gym by 5.30, and work out for an hour or so. Then later on in the evening, after putting in at least 6 hours of work, I would be on the racquetball court, raring to have a go at as many games as I could. And unless I was out of town or on vacation, this was my iron-clad routine every single day of the week.
I thought I was being diligent and dedicated to my fitness goals, but it took just a few short months to show me that I was being a fool by not providing my body with adequate rest. It was only after my body started aching and I began suffering one injury after the other that I slowed down and realized the mistakes I was making, the biggest of them being that I was not allowing my body enough time to rest. Rest is important when you want to become fit because:
- It helps rejuvenate and relax your muscles and joints: If you work out with weights or strength-train to build and tone your muscles, it’s important to take a day off to allow your muscle tissue to heal from the damage and miniscule tears it suffers. Repetitive cardio exercises cause strain and stress on your joints, and if you don’t take adequate rest, you could end up with a serious and chronic injury. Rest helps rejuvenate your aching and damaged muscles and joints.
- It keeps exercise fresh and appealing: When you allow yourself a day or two of rest every week, you look forward to getting back to your workout the following day. If it’s going to be exercise day in and day out, day after day, there will come a time when you’re going to be disillusioned with your workout. You hit a plateau, both in terms of weight loss and enthusiasm, and are in danger of giving up altogether. So keep your workout routine fresh and appealing by providing your body and mind with adequate rest.
- It prevents injuries and accidents: Unless your muscles, joints and limbs get enough rest, you’re bound to slip up, suffer accidents, and cause injury to yourself. You must listen to the warning signs your body is sending out and act accordingly. If you fail to exercise caution when you exercise and push on in spite of all the pains and aches, you’re going to suffer a serious and potentially debilitating injury.
When you take the road to fitness, you must remember to make the right stops too so that you’re not too tired and drained to go any further. In general, it’s best to take two days off exercise every week, not necessarily together. Also, you must sleep soundly every night for at least 7 hours if you want to remain in peak condition. And finally, supplement your workout with the right diet – lean proteins, good carbohydrates, wholegrain, nuts, and fruits and vegetables.
Note: This guest post is contributed by Amy S. Cook, who writes on the topic of LVN to RN. Amy welcomes your comments about this article.
