Exercise and Rest
Several years ago, I was obsessed with high intensity interval training exercises (HIIT). I loved how HIIT workouts were quality at-home workouts that require no equipment, so I began doing them every day. I might have seen results as far as muscle gain, but I was frequently feeling fatigued after my workouts. Workouts should increase your energy levels and enhance your life, not taking every ounce of energy from your body. I thought that my fatigue was normal. It was not until much later that I realized HIIT workouts should not be done daily, as your body needs to recover.
Research shows that people who do HIIT workouts everyday begin to experience deterioration of their mitochondrial (the power source for your body) function and fitness gains. Since HIIT workouts involve a lot of movement and jumping, it can also be heavy on your joints. Every high impact exercise requires recovery days, and without recovery days your body can experience symptoms like fatigue, anxiety, a decrease in athletic performance, insomnia, etc.
I wanted to be as productive as possible and not lazy on my rest days, so I researched how to have a proper productive rest day. I learned that I could do low-impact exercises, to give my muscles a break, while not being lazy. Biking, walking, swimming, and playing pickleball are all examples of low-impact exercises that you can incorporate into your weekly exercise routine. If you do weight training, you can alternate what muscle groups you exercise. Instead of exercising every muscle every day, you can opt to work out your legs one day, your biceps one day, your chest another day, etc. As a result, allow a few days for that muscle to have a break before focusing on that muscle group again. That way you can successfully train your muscles without causing stress on your body.
If you have found yourself dealing with joint pain or injuries from excessive workouts, you can incorporate anti-inflammatory foods and drinks into your diet during your rest days. Turmeric, ginger, and green tea are all anti-inflammatories that aid in healing your tired muscles and body. Personally, I love to steep green tea from 50Cups. Green tea contains polyphenols that reduce inflammation in the body. If you are like me and found yourself overly exhausted from your workouts, begin incorporating rest days and drink green tea from 50Cups.