Sometimes though, our bodies are telling us that we need to rest, no matter what you plans are or what your schedule says. Yesterday I woke up and my whole body was exhausted. It wasn't just the usual busy day mom of a toddler tiredness, but I felt tired down to my bones. So I took the day off, even though my rest day is not scheduled until tomorrow. I think it is very important to listen to your body and do what it's telling you so you do not over train or injure yourself.
Just Tired or Really Exhausted?
On most days, that end of day or early morning tiredness wears off 5 minutes into your workout and afterwards you feel fabulous. Those are days where you just need to push through your tired feelings. Take some pre workout like Energize, put on those workout clothes, push play and get it done! If we only worked out on days when we felt like it, we would never get it done!
When you are totally exhausted from training hard, your body just needs to relax and take it easy. This doesn't happen to me too often, but when I am feeling overwhelmingly tired, I take a look at my schedule and see how hard I worked in the previous week. Was I kicking butt and getting in intense workouts? If so, maybe I should take the day off. Was I skipping workouts and being lazy? If so, maybe I should get over it and get that workout in.
Sore or Injured?
When starting a new program or upping the intensity or weights of your current program, your body will be sore. Leg day leaves me walking funny for half of the week. This is a normal muscle soreness. A nice recovery drink or a protein drink like Recharge before bed, foam rolling and stretching can help with this. I also find good old cardio helps my sore muscles loosen up.
If you actually have pain in a joint or feel like you pulled something, well then you really should ice, rest and let your body recover. A Doctor's visit is also not out of the question! Earlier this year my sciatic nerve was acting up and I spent 3 weeks just doing yoga, foam rolling, icing and resting. There is absolutely no reason to push yourself when you are hurt only to hurt yourself worse and totally derail your training!
Sick or Just a Cold?
People often ask if they should workout while they have a cold. My general rule for myself is yes, unless I am feeling weak. If it's just a runny nose then I will get in my workout, even if I have to turn down the intensity. If I feel weak, I put on some comfy clothes and relax on the sofa until I feel better. Workouts are important for your health, but if you are sick you will be doing more harm than good.
The main thing is to listen to your body. The more you train and get to know your body, the more you will know when your body is telling you to relax. You will feel the effects of over training or know when something feels off.
Most importantly: never feel guilty for taking a rest day! Whether it's a scheduled rest day or an unscheduled one, rest days are just as important as heavy training days or yoga days. You cannot perform at your best if you are not allowing your body to recover properly.
