So you are exercising now using the Body Breakthrough programs, but you have noticed that you don’t exercise every day of the week. Wouldn’t exercising everyday lead to faster results? The answer is no! Your body needs rest in order to recover and grow stronger. Here are some reasons why you should not exercise everyday:
1. Your muscles need rest! In order for your muscles to adapt and grow stronger, they need to rest (usually until they are not sore). Working out creates tiny tears in your muscle fibers and the repair process is what makes your muscles stronger. Without this proper rest, you are not going to see any benefits to your training.
2. Rest prevents injury! Overuse can cause muscle and joint pain. Listen to your body. If you are feeling tired or fatigued, it is probably a good idea to take a day off.
3. Overtraining can affect your sleep. If you are unable to rest at night, you might be exercising too much. Excessive activity can cause your body to be tense and on high alert making it very difficult to achieve a good night’s rest. Not getting good sleep affects workout performance and your mood.
4. You need a life balance. If you are spending all of your free time exercising, you are probably missing out on other things in life. You will feel burnt out and exercising will no longer be pleasurable. Take a day off and spend some time with family or friends and it will benefit you in the long run!
5. Exercising more causes you to eat more. Your body needs fuel if you are constantly using all of the nutrients you are eating every day. Exercising on a normal schedule with rest and planning your meals is the best way to lose weight. Overtraining will cause you to be hungry constantly and may result in overeating or eating foods that are not healthy for your fitness goals.