How many days off?

  • I am sure I will want to take a day off from exercise, but I am worried that if I take a day off I won't get started back up again! This is 3 days in a row and I haven't had 3 days in a row of exercise since high school. Do I need to take days off? How many? Should I plan them or just go with how I feel? Wow, I ask a lot of questions!
  • I only take Sundays off...every other day, I do cardio. Three days a week, I do weights. Your body will let you know what you can do. Just make sure and listen to your body, not that voice that says "blah! I don't feeeeel like it".
  • Not sure what your exercise regimen is, but it's great to shoot for 5-6 days of cardio and at least 3 of weight training. When I'm not injured (as I currently am, dang it), I do 6 days of cardio and 6 days of weights. With that said, do as much as you can without burning out--that's the main thing. Personally, I do think it's beneficial to take at least one day off and engage in active rest (i.e., go for a walk or do something relatively active that isn't in your usual routine) or, hey, just veg out and enjoy your couch. At some point, most people really will crave exercise.

    Questions are good.
  • I try to do some exercise every day. I just started running and have discovered new muscles so after 3 days of running, I switched to walking (and hiking). I also intermix weight training as well.
  • I do cardio and lift weights 5x a week. I always alternate upper and lower body lifting and never do the same lifting two days in a row.

    If I go more than 4 days straight I can feel myself start to get a little weary and bored. A day off gets me recharged.

    I've had a problem in the past getting too obsessed with the gym. Whenever I start thinking that I could go both morning and night, I try and pull back a little and remember what my goal is.
  • I exercise 5 days a week. This gives me the flexibility to skip a day when I am super-busy or don't feel up to it, yet gives me the discipline to make exercise a habit.
  • I exercise 7 days a week. But I do change it up. Stength training, I do different groups, different days of the week. Never the same group 2 days in a row.

    I am similar to you. My thinikng being that as long as I'm on a roll - I'd like to stay that way. If every now and then I have a day where I don't do as much as usual, I feel no guilt. But I always aim to do some kind of activity every day of the week.

    I would also listen to your body. If you feel like you need a rest, then by all means take a day off.
  • Dr. Oz (who I think it great!) says to walk at least 30 minutes every day, no excuses. So it you want a break from the tapes and whatnot, how about taking a simple walk outside? Get some fresh air, take your family or a friend and enjoy the fact that fall is here! (I am guessing you will quickly welcome winter in SD, though )
  • I work out 6x a week. Usually take off on Sunday.
  • I do something everyday, even if it is just a brisk walk. I just don't feel as good the rest of the day if I don't. AND why mess with what is working?
  • I plan to workout every day of the week. Certain days I have to strength train and the rest is cardio. The goal for cardio is 100+ minutes of cardio a week. So, on the four days I do not do strength training, I do at least 30 minutes of cardio. This Saturday I took a break from it because I was exhausted. I made up that day by doing some cardio yesterday with my strength training. I don't have a rest day scheduled.

    Now, my mother on the other hand, she says she always shoots for trying to exercise everyday just in case she winds up not doing it on set days or something.

    Also, what I find helps me to convince myself is have some easy tapes for me to do. Like yoga or the WATP. Those are pretty easy and they'd be at least better than nothing. I know one day I was particularly lazy, I popped in a 15 minute workout and I felt better and even did more later in the day.