Rest Day; Why It's Important

Every Wednesday is my rest day from working out. Although I got to sleep in this morning, by lunch I was itching to get to the gym. I needed to remind myself why my (awesome) trainer included a rest day in my workout regime.

1) Mood Swings: We all know that exercising releases healthy endorphins that help decrease anxiety and stress. But it's important to maintain balance so you're not becoming obsessed with your workout schedule, and always feeling run-down.

2) Muscle Growth: While you work out, your muscles create little tears that repair, and grow, while you rest. This rest time will ensure that your muscles are repairing in a healthy manner so they can grow stronger and release toxins.

3) Sleeping: A vigorous workout can make your body feel sleep-deprived. Make sure you get a healthy amount of sleep on your rest day! On the contrary, listen to your body; if you're laying in bed but can't fall asleep it may be a sign that you're overtraining.

4) Refuel: It's important to eat well on your rest day. Even though you may feel a decrease in appetite because your body doesn't experience the intense post-workout refuel, you need to realize the bigger picture. If you're training six of seven days a week, your rest day should still consist of high-protein meals and a lot of water!

5) Hormones: Overtraining can lead to an imbalance in the body's natural hormones. Although your monthly friend can be annoying, a visit from her is true sign that your body is healthy. Overtraining can cause fatigue that will result in a decrease of estrogen levels. This decrease in estrogen can make you more susceptible to injury.

6) Weight Loss: Although it is very typical for your weight to increase because of the denser muscle-mass your'e gaining, overtraining can cause a weight-loss plateau. So if weight-loss is your goal, remember that a rest day is equally as important as hitting the gym!