What to Do on Your Rest Day!
Happy Wednesday Squadies! And happy REST DAY to all the squadies on a 30-Day or 6-Week Challenge! Today’s blog is going to be all about REST DAYS! What do you do on your rest days? Should you stretch? Can you do a quick workout?! Should i do NOTHING?! I will be addressing all these questions and more in today’s blog!
What is a rest day and why it is important? For people who workout on a regular basis, a rest day is 1-2 days out of the week you DON’T workout. When working out on a regular basis, it is super important to give your body time to rest and repair.
Why?
During an intense workout, lactic acid is produced and builds up in your muscles. This is what causes pain and soreness in the muscles afterwards (known as DOMS). Giving your body time to rest and recover gives your muscles time to breakdown and get rid of that lactic acid build-up.
Rest days gives your body time to repair and replenish your muscles, leaving them ready to take on your next workout! Just like a nice long sleep leaves us feeling energized and refreshed, rest days leave our muscles ready, meaning better performance and energy throughout your next workout!
Do’s and Don’t on recovery days:
DO’s:
Stretch and recovery workoutThis is something I ALWAYS suggest doing. If you are a Squadie on the 30-Day or 6-Week Challenge you know that twice a week we get a rest day which includes a follow-along stretch and recovery session! Stretching helps your muscles get rid of that lactic acid build-up, helps losen any tight muscles, and leaves your body ready to take on another tough workout!
Here is my LATEST stretch and recovery workout, aimed at helping you recover from sore muscles FASTER!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGiFtW8zy3wLight ActivityI get asked all the time about what kind of physical activity you can do on a rest day. Since we want our bodies to rest, you can partake in light activites such as walks, bike rides, light jogs etc. You can also do some relaxing yoga or meditation to help relax your mind too.
DON’TS
Intense workoutsIf you are someone who works out on a regular basis, you may know that once you are constantly active, it can sometimes be hard to take a day to rest. You want to keep going! You want to feel energized, focused and LEAN - and you know that working out can do that for you. Although this is the case, your body still needs that time to rest. You should avoid any strenuous or intense workouts on your rest days and try your best to relax your body and mind. Taking time to rest is beneficial in both short and long term and you will still feel leanmazing if you are consistent with your workouts and fueling your body right!
Go overboard with carbs!Typically, I follow a low carb diet, high in proteins and healthy fats. Although this is the case, carbs are VITAL for your body after a workout. That being said, since you AREN’T working out on a rest day, I would suggest to fill your meals with healthy fats and proteins, leaving the carbs for workout days!
There you have it squadies all you need to know about rest days! Always remember, the most important thing for you to do on your rest day is ti REST, RELAX and RESTORE your body so you are feeling your best!
JOIN THE CHALLENGE! START FEELING YOUR BEST WITH THE NEXT 30 DAY LEAN CHALLENGE!
