As a fitness freak, I spend 1 1/2 hours of my day, lifting weights, doing plyometrics, or sprinting on the treadmill.
Even if it rained or I got sick, I’d still pull myself to the gym.
You might say I’m a little obsessed for working out so much. But exercise, to me, is what makes my days better. It’s what de-stresses me. And I honestly couldn’t imagine how my life would be like if I didn’t work out.
Until I couldn’t — because of a horrible cold I caught a month ago.
With a dry, itchy throat and a numbed mind, I couldn’t think nor snap myself back to workout. I didn’t feel like doing anything except pass out on the bed.
It’s the worst feeling I ever had in awhile. But thankfully I learned one surprising thing from not exercising for a month.
Breaks aren’t bad.
I used to think taking breaks was a sign of laziness.
If you keep skipping days, you’ll never achieve what you want, I’d tell myself.
But after 4 weeks of being stuck in bed, I realized my body got stronger.
I was able to do more clap push-ups.
My arms became more toned.
The truth is, I’d been overworking my body this whole time — to the point where my soreness never went away. Where sharp pains would pick at my knee, unexpectedly.
By giving your body a couple days off from the gym, you allow your muscles to rebuild new muscle fibers, which prepares you for a better performance. Hence, higher gains.
So if you’re worried about losing all your gains by taking a break from workout, don’t. It’ll help you in the long run.
“A vacation free from visits to the gym that lasts a week or even two can actually provide needed rest for the body that you would have denied it otherwise.”
