Why is it that when we are forced to rest because of an injury or sickness we feel guilty? I know I sure felt like that last week when I was so sick that I was forced to rest for four days straight. All I could think about was how it was going to mess up my weight loss journey and my fitness. I felt like it wasn’t bad enough that I was coughing all night long when I was trying to rest, but that I also couldn’t lace up and get a run in.
The reality is, rest is good for us! I tend to be one of those consistent runners/workout folks that just wants to be doing something 5 or 6 days a week. While a day or two of rest is usually good enough to recover, when we are sick, it’s so vital that we listen to our bodies and rest. I had to remind myself how important it is that I rest and listen to my body.
It also made me realize that listening to my body is something I don’t do enough. I like to challenge myself, push myself to workout through exhaustion and my health issues. It’s not a bad thing to push yourself, but there are times that our bodies are begging for some extra rest. Last year was a struggle with my Fibromyalgia and Hashimoto’s, but through it all, I rarely allowed myself to truly rest more than a day or two at a time.
Rest allows our body time to repair and strengthen itself from the hard stress that working out puts on us. Muscles can repair themselves when we rest, and thus perform better later. Energy and glycogen is also restored during periods of rest and recovery.
So, while it was no fun to start off the year being sick, I think it allowed my body some much needed rest. It has taught me to slow down a bit and listen more to my body. Rest is a part of the program! It’s important! 🙂