{Fit and Strong Day 19}: Take A Rest

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If you have tried some of the exercises in the 31 Steps to Fit and Strong series, I am sure you felt invigorated and alive, right?  Actually, even just stretching and light exercise can already make a difference, particularly if we have been sedentary for quite some time.  I find that little baby steps to fitness works well with me.  I'm not the type to shock my body with a turbo charged workout only to give it up after a few tries, because I simply cannot sustain it.  That is also the reason I have stopped jumping in bandwagons of exercise fads.  I always go for what I can do consistently, and progress to more difficult routines.  That way, I don't burn out myself and go back to the couch.

 So, having tried some of the exercises, it is normal to feel pumped up and all excited about the workouts.  Are you?  I hope so.  I've been there, and at some point, it's all I ever want to do.  It's like I'm catching up on lost time spent on the couch or office chair.  I wanted to lose weight, feel energetic, have a toned body, blah blah blah...

Now, I'm telling you to take a rest.  

You read that right.  Much as we'd like to reach our personal goals in fitness, there should always be a time allotted for rest.  We should always give time for the body to recover from the strenuous activities.  Even hardcore bodybuilders and athletes rest.  Consider it the muscle healing and building time.  

But how much time do we need to rest?

Sparkle People suggests 1-2 days of rest (no workout) each week, spaced evenly, as I have read in this article.  I think that is arbitrary, as it really depends on each individual, and the intensity of the workout routine.  In this aspect, I think you would be the judge as to how much rest you need.  

The point is, you have to have rest.  And I think the weekend is the best time to do that.  

This is Day 19 of Steps to Fit and Strong.