Do you really need to take 1 day off a week?

L

lastchanced

New member
I don't LOVE to work out - but I really feel bad about myself on the days that I don't. I like to feel sore, it makes me feel like I am doing something, and as much as sometimes I really have to talk myself through my workouts - I always feel better about myself at the end of the day when I accomplished all the things I set out to do at the gym.

I have been at the gym for 6 days straight now, today is the 7th and I have not yet decided whether I should go. My pysche is telling me YES! GO! but I am having doubts as to whether this is helpful rather than harmful to my weightloss and fitness goals.

I went hiking for about an hour this morning w/ my dog, I covered about 3.5 - 4 miles. However, although this is activity and surely burned calories, I don't consider it a workout.

Should I take the day off? Or should I go and work out? I know I will feel like I am losing ground if I don't go, but I may be holding myself back by overtraining if I don't take that 7th day off? Help!
 
Yeah, you need a day off in between muscle workouts. If you don't do lower body, then you can do cardio on the 7th day.
 
Well I did end up going to the gym.

I do a combination of cardio/strength training every time I go. Each time I go I do what my body feels up to doing but I do push myself to finish whatever I start. I generally do about 1 hr of cardio and about 20 min of strength. I did a little less yesterday, 50min of cardio and only 10min of strength.

I felt great when I left the gym, was pretty sore last night but I feel great again this morning. I ate a big breakfast (YAY! this is a new feat for me) of grape nuts/raisins/dried cranberries w/ fat free milk (and of course coffee!), and I am looking forward to getting to the gym again today.

It is raining today pretty hard so I am not going to be doing as much outdoor activity as usual...I'll probably step it up today at the gym.
 
Working out is all about breaking down your body so that you get the overcompensation that your body creates while rebuilding. If you constantly do nothing but break down and never give your body a chance to fully rebuild, then that overcompensation is being cut short. Different workout structures work differently though, as light to moderate intensity and low impact cardio isn't nearly as bad as high impact high intensity cardio and strength training.
 
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