Alright...so I'm just having a really busy week and I'm wondering if it's going to hurt to actually take a week off of exercising. I know I may feel crappy from not doing it...but I really feel over-burdened this week and just don't want to.

Do you ever take like 3-4 days off of exercising because you need a break? Obviously my eating habits will remain the same, but I just don't feel like going to the gym or going for a walk...even though I went for a 30 min one this morning.

I'm not losing weight either which might contribute to me not wanting to go to the gym...*sigh* I'm not gaining, but I'm not losing and I haven't lost enough to be stalling. (and no....I'm not pregnant...just so those of you who were wondering now know ).

So what do you think I should do? am I going to not fit into my pants next week because I didn't exercise?

I'm not losing weight as quickly as I was on the program I was in. It's kinda discouraging. I mean..I know I look good..heck I went to Old Navy yesterday and bought new clothes...in a size 18!! and shirts in size XL and they are baggy!! That soooo made my day! I don't have to shop at Lane Bryants anymore....I'm gonna be shredding up that credit card!



Okay...so I'm just having a weird mood day...

I've had a few weeks where I didn't exercise, and went a good 3 weeks or so after surgery not being able to work out at all, no even a good long walk. I didn't gain weight right away, but I think part of that may have been that I was losing muscle and gaining fat. Once I started again, I regained the muscle and put weight on, which was frustrating. On top of that, it was just something I didn't really want to do any more. I got out of that though, and I'm back to exercising and loving it.

There are still days where I just feel way too busy or tired to work out, but I at least give it a try if I can. Sometimes, I start getting into my workout, and it helps melt away the stress and tiredness that I had and actually makes me feel better.

When you get to your target weight are you going to take off a week when things get stressful and you don't feel like going? You're forming the habits now that you want to carry you through the rest of your life. So which do you want to be, the person who sucks it up and goes or the person who just doesn't feel like it so doesn't? She who doesn't go when she doesn't feel like it is also known as "she who worked really hard to lose all that weight and then gained it back".

I don't take a week off. It's too easy to extend it and then all of a sudden you're afraid to get on the scale because you think you may have gained and we all know what happens then.

And so ends my sermon for the day. LOL.

I try to force myself to take a week off every 2-3 month, but it usually is just a few days. If you are really pushing your body your limits, you do need some recovery time.

Except for when I had some surgery, I've never taken off doing some sort of cardio for more than two days. I do take lifting breaks or radically change and lighten my workouts for a week. I find that about every 10-12 weeks, I just start getting exhausted and not recovering.

As long as you keep your eating strictly under control, you aren't going to gain much if any in a week of rest. BUT...if you are under a lot of stress, why not make that work for you and go do some different kind of workouts? Exercise is a great stress reliever

Mel

Hmmm.......... A whole week off? Do you really think that that's the best way to handle things? I always find it's much easier to stick with a routine then have to get BACK to that said routine. I mean just think how easily 1 week could turn into 8 days and then 9 and ......

Maybe you just need to switch things up a bit. The time, the actual workout itself, the intensity.

You also say that obviously your eating habits will stay the same, well how do you know that for sure? You simply can't know it. I know for me, and we're certainly all different without a doubt, but exercising puts me in the right frame of mind, health conscious wise and therefore - eating wise. Elminating a whole segment of my fitness routine, could easily spiral down into my food choices as well. It could really set off a vicious cycle.

The bottom line is there are ALWAYS going to be stressful days, weeks, heck even months on end. I can't think of a more appropriate time to carve out some special time for you to take care of yourself, then when stressed. You wouldn't take a break from taking a shower or brushing your teeth, even if you didn't feel like doing those things, so why is it an option for exercise?

I'll take a line from another Robin, see post from up above. - "And so ends my sermon for the day. LOL."

I just took 10 days off because of an injury and man it's easy to break out of healthy habits. I felt bad that I wasn't exercising and I ate like crap and felt like crap. I am glad to be back on the wagon today. If you can just do 1-2 days in the week you're going to be busy that should keep you going. Just don't do nothing.

BabyBrownEyes, it seems to me that you are in a really slippery place right now. First of all, you decided to give up your strict medical plan and become a calorie counter. Then, you have moved to live with your relatives, and you said that you eat at Taco Bell from time to time (but only the Fresca menu). Now, you have stopped losing weight. If you're counting calories and have the right numbers for cals. burned vs. cals. eaten, you should still be losing.

And now you want to quit exercising for a week?

I'm thinking that you need to be careful. Like rockinrobin said, why a whole week? Because work is hard? Well... life is like that. Don't put your weight loss program aside until things are easier because things might never get that way.

Keep going! You can do it!

Jay

I never take time off from cardio as I am addicted to the feeling I get afterwardss. But, I do take one week off from weights every 56 days...after donating blood. I come back stronger and more ready to focus again.

I think if you are really really exhausted... a day or two may be okay...but any more than that and i think you are setting yourself up for a possible set back. I really encourage taking time for yourself and doing things that are healthy for you. And i personally know if i take more than 2 days off...its darn near impossible to get motivated to get back into the "swing" of things.

I've found that when I take ANY time off, it makes it harder to get back to it. I start thinking well, just one more day off, and then another. So I don't take off. Besides, if you're already feeling discouraged from not losing currently, taking off is only going to fuel that feeling even further.

I can't do it either. My pattern is to take a few days off, then it turns into a week, then a month, and all of a sudden it's 6 months later and I've gained 20 pounds. I don't recommend it. Exercise keeps you focused on your healthy eating and it gives you more energy. Just DO it!!!

If you've stopped losing and want some advice, post in the calorie counters forum and we'll all give you a talking to

Coming from someone who took "one week off" at the end of July and is just finally getting that "exercise habit" back....my suggestion is DO NOT stop the cardio. Do not go down that slippery slope...it is too hard a climb back my friend.

Only when forced. Right now my knee is dead, and I am cardio free. Still, I'm doing arms at least 2 times a week and forcing myself on little 20 min pool sessions when they don't hurt. And its killing me.

If you can't do it for you, do it for the people in doctor-imposed breaks who are going nuts!

I'll agree with the other wise sages who already posted here. I don't think taking an entire week off is the answer. But, if you're feeling like you need a break, scale back a bit or change things up. Sometimes our bodies do need a little recovery time to recharge - I don't know what your usual routine is, but maybe you should use your regular exercise time this week to take a walk instead of doing a more intense workout, or try something completely different.

For me, it would be a slippery slope because 3 days turn into a week, then 10 days then before I know it, my good healthy habits have slipped away. Not that you need my vote but I'd not turn your back on exercise totally. Sure, a day off here and again is fine (I usually take 2 days off each week) but more than 2 days in a row, I'd be worried and personally, I'd be at risk. Only you know the answer for you though.