Take a Break

(Picture taken in Hawaii, Hawaii - black sand beach with 

sea turtles sunning themselves.  They know how to take a break!)

Don’t overwork yourself.  You don’t want to end up all cramped and injured.  It feels good to get those muscles working again and have your lungs working to capacity, but if you don’t take a day off once in a while (ideally once a week), you’ll pay in the end.  I found myself facing this problem…I was running and getting into a great routine, but my knees and ankles were killing me.  I thought that working through the pain would work, but it only exacerbated it.  I was pushing too hard and needed a break before I did real damage.  I took a day off of HIIT and just did extra walking and standing at work.  Then I found a new problem… when I don’t exercise, my appetite increases.  So I have to be more careful on days off.  The good news is, exercise decreases overall appetite.

On your days off, you might want to catch up on chores (simpler, necessary tasks that still keep your body going) or just veg in front of the TV…but be careful not to waste the whole day, because sitting is killing us and here's an infographic of how!  If you feel the need to snack while watching TV like I do, find healthy alternatives like Veggie Sticks, fruits, vegetables, nuts, or yogurt.

Most importantly, don’t feel bad about yourself for taking a day off…what you’re doing is just as important as exercising and eating right.