fitness
6 good reasons to skip the workout today
© Mariia Korneeva / Adobe Stock
Our bodies need exercise, which is why sport is so healthy. But is this really always the case without exception? No, because there are good arguments for skipping your workout on certain days.
Sometimes we just don’t want to exercise. We’re lying comfortably on the couch or we’ve had a long day at work, and the very thought of getting up now is torture. Of course we know that we feel better after a workout. We just have to somehow manage to conquer our weaker self. You know yourself best and you know whether you just don’t feel like it right now, but the sport would be good for you – or whether you have a good reason why a fitness unit today would not be a good idea. For example one of these.
6 good reasons not to exercise today
1. You are sick or injured
We all know how healthy sport is for the body and mind. Of course, this only applies if the body in question is fit enough for it. Because if we have a bad cold or gastrointestinal problems, a workout is only unnecessary stress for the organism. Our body is then busy fighting the disease. If we now additionally burden him with sports, he has less power for healing and the recovery process slows down. Of course, this also applies to an injury, whether to the feet, legs or back. Give your body time to recover before exercising again.
2. You have sore muscles
A workout can even help with mild muscle soreness. But if you overtaxed one or even more parts of your body during a previous workout so much that you can hardly move now, you should rather skip the sport today (and maybe tomorrow?). Otherwise you risk injuries in the muscles, which are not only painful, but also put you out of action for a longer time.
3. You are tired
If you’re just feeling a bit sluggish, a challenging workout can be just the thing to re-energize you. But if you feel deep fatigue and barely have enough energy to get up, exercise can be just another energy guzzler for your body. Perhaps you have not slept very much for a few days or are in the middle of a very strenuous phase. Only you can tell the difference between mild lethargy, which exercise can help, and real fatigue, which exercise would only increase. You know your body best.
4. You are stressed
Basically, exercise relieves stress and can help you switch off and relax mentally. But that doesn’t change the fact that a workout takes time and energy, and you have to have that first. If you work too much, or are so tied up with family or other time commitments that you barely get enough time to sleep, exercise would probably just be another tiring item on your never-ending to-do list. In this case: skip the training session and use the hour gained to do nothing.
5. You drank alcohol
Maybe after a drink or two you feel the need to sweat the alcohol out with a hard workout. This isn’t a good idea, however, as alcohol will further dehydrate you and can also make you more likely to injure yourself. It’s better to wait until your body has completely broken down the drinks – preferably until tomorrow.
6. You have your period
Of course you can also exercise during your period. If you feel fit enough and a workout makes you feel better – go for it! But if you have intense cramps, sleep poorly, and/or bleed profusely, a workout session can be undue stress on your body. You’re not doing yourself any favors by struggling through a workout when your body needs its energy for other things.
Maybe a gentle yoga session or a walk?
If one or more of these apply to you and you’ve decided that your power workout today would be counterproductive to your well-being and health, then you might consider a gentler alternative. Maybe you still feel the need to move a little? In that case, a quiet yoga class might do you good. Or you go for a walk – you get even more out of the activity in the fresh air! Or maybe you just want to lie down on the couch and watch trash TV—that’s perfectly okay, too. Tomorrow is also a day!
Sources used: verywellfit.com, bustle.com, insider.com