10 Reasons Why “Taking an Off Day” From Working Out is a Myth

For the most part, a break is a good thing. We all need a break from time to time because it helps us recover and recuperate and get the rest that we need. However, not all things are worth resting from. Many people say that they have to skip a day of working out or they feel they are not doing well. And while you should take a break from certain exercises and routines, you should not skip working out any given day. Sure, you have every right to skip the gym once or twice a week without feeling any guilt. You can skip that yoga class when you feel like it. You don’t have to get up and go for your morning run when it’s 45 below zero or 80 and pouring rain, but you should not skip physical activity all together on those days. In fact, you should still get some sort of physical activity in your life every single day. Health experts recommend 150 minutes a week of exercise minimum to maintain good health, and that’s about 21 minutes a day. That means you can’t skip a work out, even if it’s a long walk or a couple of laps in the pool. We have 10 reasons you should not skip working out all together.

It’s Harder to Get Back Into It

If you take a day off from working out all together, it’s going to be that much harder to work out tomorrow. No, really; it is. You’re going to feel the pain of being lazy and not want to do it again tomorrow. Taking a day off completely is not a good idea because it induces laziness and secondary ‘days off’ for many.

Relaxed Muscles are Prone to Injury

When your muscles are too relaxed and not being worked out, they’re prone to injury. It might not seem like big deal to take a day off and rest your sore muscles, but they need that motivation to become strong and healthy. And taking too much time off of working out causes them to become a bit unsure of what’s going on, which can lead them to injury.

It’s Lazy

Why take a day off? Most people take a day off just because they don’t feel like working out right now, and that’s just lazy. You don’t have to hit the gym hard every single day, but you should do something active. For example, go to the park and take a walk. Play a game of basketball in the driveway with the kids. It doesn’t feel like exercise, but it is.

You’re Going to Feel so Guilty

You know ahead of time you’re going to feel guilty. Taking a day off is going to cause you to feel guilty before and after. It’s going to cause you to hate yourself for a while and you’re going to end up in a funk you can’t get out of for the next day or so thanks to your overwhelming guilt.

Exercise is Good for You

All it takes is a little bit of exercise for you to feel good about yourself, and look good. Exercise is not just something you do because you want to get fit. It’s something you do because you want to live a long, healthy life. A good quality life comes from exercise; a strong body and a strong mind will take you far in life. It’s why exercise is so good for you.

You Need 20 Minutes a Day

All you need, according to health professionals, is 150 minutes of exercise per week. This means just over 20 minutes a day of physical activity is going to make you healthier than you are right now. All it takes is 20 minutes. You can do 20 minutes of yoga or take a 20 minute walk when you have a few minutes to spare. That’s all it takes to get healthy. And you can’t skip that.

Your Metabolism Needs it to Stay Active

Exercise is going to make your metabolism work faster. If you want to lose weight and burn calories, you need to exercise to make sure your metabolism is working full force. That’s not to say it won’t work at all if you don’t exercise, but it will work more effectively and faster if you do.

Exercise Decreases Stress

Exercise releases some seriously good feel good hormones when you engage in this kind of activity. What this means is that you’re going to exercise the stress right out of your body. When you are less stressed, you sleep better. When you sleep better, you feel better. When you have less stress, you get to enjoy your life just a little bit more. Stressed people are less focused, less happy and less able to do what needs doing. This is a good reason to get up and exercise on a daily basis; your days will be filled with more productivity and happiness.

Exercise Makes you Happier

Exercise decreases stress, which means it makes you happier. It’s a great way for you to feel better about yourself and about life, and it’s a great way for you to enjoy things more often. The hormones that kill the stress in your body when you exercise produce some feel good hormones that cause you to feel euphoric happiness, and that’s as good a reason as any not to skip your workouts on certain days. Who wants to skip a chance to be super happy?

Exercise Gives you Energy

When your metabolism is up and running, your heart rate is up and running and you are actually up and running, you have more energy. This makes you more productive throughout the day. This makes you happier. It makes it more enjoyable for you to do the things that you love to do, and it makes it easier for you to feel good at the end of the day. Energy helps your body burn more calories, too, so this is another way you’re going to lose weight and build confidence in yourself.

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