When You Don't Need Rest Days
Most programs recommend rest days. It gives your muscles a chance to recover and repair. Rest and recovery after hard training sessions or races is important. But have you noticed how sluggish you feel if you sit around all day without any exercise? If you're anything like me you'll feel terrible! So I think the advice about rest days is misleading. Granted it would be a huge mistake to push your body hard every day - that's just asking for trouble and almost always ends up with burnout or injury. But complete lying around in a hammock type of rest is rarely necessary. That's why I recommend active rest days. Instead of doing nothing, have a light exercise session. What counts as a light session depends on your fitness level. For some people it's a stroll in the park with friends, for others it's a cycle ride or an easy run. You choose. Walk 2 Miles A Day - start here if you haven't exercised for a while. Find out how to lose weight and get fit by walking 2 miles a day. Walk 4 Miles A Day - find out what to expect if you walk 4 miles a day. It's a great way to get in shape. Walk 10 Miles A Day - this is a big challenge but if you have a background as a walker or runner and have just let things slide - walking 10 miles a day for a week can really help you recover your fitness. Keep it up for a month and you'll have the body of an athlete! Run 2 Miles A Day - if you have a busy lifestyle, this could be a perfect distance. Just 20 to 30 minutes of exercise a day to keep you in shape. Run 5 Miles A Day - I don't recommend this for beginner runners or if you're injury-prone, but running a set 5-mile distance every day can be a great help when you're struggling with exercise motivation. Recent articlesIf you need some motivation, these are some of my favorite quotes to get you lacing up your training shoes. And if it's hot where you are, make sure you stay hydrated. Look out for the telltale signs of heat exhaustion. Have a great exercise session! Alison |
71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9JQ |
Hi! I'm Alison
Sign up for my newsletter for the latest tips and tricks to get fit and live better!
How To Stay Motivated Tips and Advice It's easy to get stuck in a rut when it comes to exercise. We all know what we should be doing, but actually getting out there and walking or running regularly can be difficult. There are just too many distractions. Hopefully, these articles will help to get you back on track and hitting your fitness goals. Recent articles 15 Ways To Stay Self-Motivated Find out how to stay motivated throughout the year with these 15 tips for personal motivation. Read...
Diet Or Exercise Which is more important? There's a saying, "You can't outrun a bad diet". It isn't completely true. Walk or run huge distances every day and you can get away with eating anything and everything in sight. I know, I've tried it. But should you be thinking about your diet if you're walking or running to lose weight? And what about all those ads on social media saying running makes you fat? Want some answers? These posts will help you separate myth from reality. Find out why...
Summer Challenges Set yourself a fitness goal! Are you ready to give your fitness a boost? A summer challenge could be the perfect answer! Set yourself a fitness goal for the next month or longer and make sure it's achievable and realistic. It could be walking every day for a month, losing some weight by walking, training for a 5K race, aiming to run a half marathon, or improving your running speed. Pick a goal that's challenging but doable. For example, I'm not a morning person but my...