Rest days are an important component to any fitness program. Most programs schedule one or two rests days a week. This is because rest allows your body to recover and rebuild stronger than before. Without rest, you risk overtraining and stalling your progress. That's why you can't train the same muscle group on back to back days, and why you can't do a HIIT workout on consecutive days either.
While rest is important for your body, a rest day doesn't mean you should lay on the couch all day watching television. Our bodies are built to move, so it's important to move them daily! You should "rest," so activity shouldn't be intense or very strenuous. Active rest can look like a gentle walk after dinner or some housework or gardening. This is also helpful when you're feeling sore. A nice walk can loosen up tight muscles, whereas a day on the couch can make you more stiff.
For my rest day today I did some cleaning (vacuuming, kitchen, etc) and I'm trying to talk my boyfriend into playing mini-golf with my little brother who's staying the night with us (my brother is 14). None of those activities are strenuous but they are more active than being a couch potato! And then tomorrow I'll be well rested and able to go heavier during my Pump workout. Can't wait!
I do have to say, though, that I really enjoyed sleeping in and staying cozy in my bed without feeling guilty about running out of time to workout. Very nice. I did make sure to keep my nutrition nice and clean today to support my body's repair efforts. And the burgers I made with the homemade breadcrumbs? Awesome! So yummy and juicy and just delicious. I was very happy with them and I look forward to having leftovers for lunch tomorrow :)
Stay healthy and don't forget to rest!
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