The Importance of Rest

Intensity

This is both the biggest difference and the hardest factor to define when comparing fitness programs between individuals, thus making it very hard to determine what the optimum rest period should be for a given program of fat burning. Some people work more intensely than others and - given a similar genetics – will need more rest than those who take a more lacksidasical approach.

Listening to Your Body

Sometimes we think, “I’m too tired to go to the gym or take my walk.” Is your body telling you this or your mind? This is the question to answer before skipping workouts and avoiding exercise. Mental toughness is good, but you need to know when it’s time for an extra day off. Look for these signs:

• Deep-down muscle pain


• Increased resting heart rate – 10 to 20 beats per minute more than normal


• Joint pain


• Dizziness or feeling like you are going to faint


• Very low energy levels or feeling very tired

After identifying one or more of these feelings, do a quick check: Have you been eating right and drinking enough water? Do you get you 7.5 to 8 hours sleep per night? Are you doing some kind of hard physical labor outside the gym? Are you eating large meals just before going to the gym? Do you go long periods – more than 4 hours - without food? All these factors should be worked on first - BEFORE looking at extra days off.

In fact, most of these problems can be handled with a better diet and reduced intensity during your workouts. To burn the fat, a continuous low intensity program will win out over a short term high intensity program every time.

Also, be sure to do a “check up from the neck up” and make sure your not just depressed or stressed. To make sure, go to the gym anyway the first few times – even if you don’t plan to workout. Then, if you still feel “tired”, chat with people there or do something easy and go home. You’d be surprised how many times you’ll end up doing a full workout and feel great afterward. Even if you do just a little, you’ll feel better.

For fat burning programs it’s better to rest your resistance training than your cardio or endurance training since it burns more calories. So if you have to choose one or the other, do the cardio workout and skip the weights.

If you do decide to rest – REST. Don’t work; laze around. If you need the rest, take it and use it. If you’ve worked that hard, you need and deserve it. Don’t look back, don’t feel guilty – better to take an extra rest day than injure yourself.

Do, however, remember that on rest days you’re not burning much fat and should lower your caloric intake some for that day – especially carbohydrates.

Remember: rest is a critical part of your fat burning program that needs to be carefully programmed so you work hard enough to burn the fat while not injuring yourself in the process. Listen to your body and err on the side of caution: better to take too much rest than not enough. Fat burning does not require superhuman efforts, just a continuous and intelligent program.

Next Up: Fat Burning on the Cheap

Top