When Taking a Week Off From Working Out is the Best Thing For You

At the beginning of April I realized that I couldn’t remember when I’d last taken more than a few days off from working out. Surprise! I love working out. So really, no surprise? But it didn’t get me thinking: what would a full week off do for me physically? Mentally?

So I took a full week off. Here’s what happened…

The Physiological and Mental Benefits of Lighter Weeks are Real

Taking a rest week or scheduling in a de-load week isn’t about losing your gains—it’s about supporting and strengthening them. Lifting weights and constantly challenging your body stimulates muscle growth. But the physiological changes happen in between workouts. Rest and recovery periods are where the growth happens.

During a rest week you aren’t avoiding movement completely. The idea is to lighten the stress load on the body and give it the tools it needs to repair and grow – sleep, stretching, nutrients, and low-impact activity.

Here’s what I focused on instead of lifting:

• Taking daily walks, preferably outside, for pleasure with my dogs. I hosted a Month of Miles Challenge in April so I used my lifting break as a chance to get ahead.
• Stretching/mobility work; I’m pretty good about warming up but if anything gets pushed to the wayside for me, it’s deep stretch work. This felt like an opportunity.
• My morning routine. Since I had more time during the day, I didn’t feel stressed about taking minutes out of my morning to practice deep self care and energizing rituals.
• Eating earlier. We tend to eat as if we live in Barcelona over here but I know it’s not great for me. Because I wasn’t working out in the afternoons, I found a way to start dinner earlier than usual.

I Feel Stronger

I was pleasantly surprised when I picked up the weights again that not only had I not lost any strength, I actually felt stronger. Intense and/or frequent training puts a tremendous amount of stress on your body. It’s not just your muscles that are affected. It’s the entire musculoskeletal and the neuromuscular systems, as well as immune function.

Taking that prolonged chunk of time off from high intensity training and heavy lifting gave my body the time it (apparently) needed to fully recover.

I Didn’t Gain Any Weight

This didn’t surprise me. In fact, if anything I thought I might lose weight from muscle and water loss. But my reality was a 0.6 pounds fluctuation. So, nothing. Studies actually show that it takes more like 4-6 weeks of absolute couch potato-ism to realize severe catabolic breakdown. After just one week, you won’t notice much.

I didn’t change anything about my eating habits. Calories stayed the same. I hit my daily protein goals. Whole foods filled my plate and I drank about a gallon of water each day. My body used that fuel to replenish completely and keep my metabolism healthy.

I Missed Working Out

You know how 60* feels so much more glorious after winter than it does in the fall? Like you need a little time away to recognize the goodness of what you had. That’s a bit what this felt like.

First couple of days, no problem. But at about mid-week I started to miss that feeling of power that workouts give me. And I definitely missed the post-workout satisfaction of a job well done. Taking a week off from working out gave me time to appreciate my body and my love for fitness.

By the time I was ready to jump back under the barbell, I felt totally rejuvenated and highly motivated to make each rep count!

(p.s. I also LOVED having the time off. It felt really indulgent in the best of ways).

My Step Count Went Up

Cutting out a workout added about an hour to every day. I took full advantage of the time to get outside more, mainly to walk my dogs. I definitely saw an overall increase in my average daily step count. Luckily, natural sunlight and walks for the sake of pleasure are addictive. I’m still finding the time to get outside!

I Realized That Working Out Isn’t What Makes Me a Fitness Person

At first I had a bit of an existential crisis: if I wasn’t working out, what kind of fitness forward person was I?!

I’ve been an athlete my whole life. For a long time I defined myself by my fitness-related pursuits; I was a gymnast, a volleyball player. Then I was a runner. A bodybuilder. Fitness has always been a part of my identity.

There is no feeling quite like the accomplishment of an intense weight training session where you know you gave your all. For me, the gym is my self-care spot. I love it there. It is a part of my personal everyday life and my professional life.

I Came Back More Motivated Than Ever

What solidified the benefits of this week off for me was that when I finally did get back into the gym 7 days later, I was SO ready. I was more motivated, more excited and more energized than I’d been in a while.

As beneficial and energizing as exercise is, it is also physically and mentally taxing. Your body reads the stress of a workout just as it reads the stress of a looming deadline or busy schedule. All that stress gets dumped into the same “bucket”. And it fills up. It’s hard to stay motivated about something that feels like the last drop before overflow.

I missed lifting weights. But I recognize that stepping away from it is an opportunity to remember just how good it makes me feel. How strong and capable. How energized and focused! I’m glad to be back.

Signs You Might Benefit From Taking a Week Off From Working Out

The workout/life balance varies from one individual to the next.

If you feel that you have been overtraining or experiencing physical/mental burnout, don’t be afraid to take a break. Listening to your internal cues is important.

These common symptoms indicate that a rest period may be just what you need. If you:

• feel completely unmotivated/dreading your workouts
• are fatigued all the time, good sleep or not
• notice a reduction in output or poor athletic performance
• feel new aches and pains that won’t quit
• experience soreness that won’t go away
• are bored by your workouts
• hit a plateau in progress

…then scheduling in a break may be just what you need to get back at it with more energy and excitement.