Thanksgiving is a big travel week for many of us, and with traveling typically comes some days off from working out. And while it may be a hard pill to swallow, taking a few days off (or even taking the entire week off) is actually really, really good for you.
If you love working out, rest days can be torturous. Trust me, I get it. But you’re not doing yourself any favors working out every single day. I’ve been working out pretty consistently for about 10 years, and last year I decided to take an entire week off for the first time in my life. It was really f’ing hard because I just love the gym too much. But man, it was extremely beneficial…
For me, the biggest takeaway was how I felt coming back. After taking a full week, I was worried that coming back into the gym would feel really difficult, but my strength actually increased! My muscles were fully rested for the first time in probably ever, and I could really tell the difference.
The other major takeaway for me was how I was able to mentally “reset”. Being in the gym almost every day, doing the same movements over and over, it becomes routine. After a week off, my mind-body connection became so much stronger, and if you’ve ever played competitive sports before, you’ll know what it feels like to be in the zone- and that’s exactly how it felt.
Now, do you need to take a full week off? Absolutely not. If you’re taking at least 2 days off per week, you’re in a good place, but I highly recommend taking a 4-5 day break every once in a while (if not a full week) to physically and mentally reset.
