By: Elizabeth Jarrard
TGIF. The work week is over, and it’s time to start the weekend! Right? In the current economy it seems like everyone’s squeezing extra work in, after hours. Perhaps we don’t get to go to the gym as often as we would like to, so we become “weekend warriors”-going all out on Saturday and Sunday. In the world of go-go-go, where resting is seen as lazy, we can endanger our health by refusing to take a day off.
There was a point in my life when I worked out 7 days a week. I wouldn’t let myself take a day off, because I felt guilty skipping a workout. Needless to say, it was draining, and stripped all the joy and fun I had originally found in my activity out of it. Going to the gym become a drag and a chore, and I found that I wasn’t able to put my best effort into my workouts.
One day I fought this compulsion to exercise, and took the day off. I tried to push away the feelings of guilt and laziness, and occupy myself with other things. It was to my surprise that the next day, rather than losing all of my strength and turning into a pile of fat, I was much more energized, and had a fantastic workout. I began to repeat this cycle and found a brand new appreciation for days of rest. I put myself first, and respected my body’s need to rest, recover and repair.
Our bodies work hard every day, and without rest they begin to wear down. Besides feeling lethargic, if you don’t rest as an athlete you risk developing over-training syndrome. Without taking a day to rest and let your muscles repair, rebuild and strengthen you are at high risk for developing muscle strains, and other injuries, which will have you off your feet for much longer. There are also psychological benefits, in that rest days can help maintain a better balance between home, work and fitness goals.
At least once a week, I hope you can find time to rest. Giving yourself permission to jump off the go-bandwagon just for a short while will have you feeling more energetic and excited about life once you get back on. Your body needs rest and sleep to maintain healthy immune functions, and keep you from getting sick. Getting rest is an important part of putting yourself first.
I dare you to:
-Give yourself permission to relax, recharge and rest.
-Let go of your fear of rest, remove the guilt from treating your body with respect.
-Take a moment to take a deep breath and appreciate all that you have worked so hard for and received.
-Instead of staring at the computer screen, take a few minutes to rest your eyes, perhaps even meditate.
-Show your body some love by taking time for it, and allowing it to rest.
Have a rest-ful weekend!
Can you put yourself first this weekend and get some rest? Do you feel obligated to be on the go constantly this holiday season? How can you make sure you get rest?
