Sundays are my favorite days of the week. I love a good Sunday morning of church and a little less busyness to the day. Sundays are typically also Active Recovery Days for me and typically for those participating in Better & Beyond. I think this is a crucial day to improve our health, fitness and entire well-being.
It goes beyond the scientifically proven benefits of allowing for a rest day from tough workouts and giving the muscles an opportunity to rest, recover and grow. I see it as necessary in all areas of our wellness. This is what I mean.
When do you solve problems? Typically, not while you are right in the midst of the problem.
When do you have your best ideas, or have your creative juices show up, or seem to grasp that wonderful “aha” moment? Likely it is NOT when you are in all out stress mode with your mind racing and frazzled. Likely it is not when your body is aching, sore and tired or when you are busy thinking of your work, your teen’s issues, your toddler not using the potty, or the argument you had with your mother.
You see, I stress an active recovery day for many reasons, not just to rest muscles from the seven million squats we did in our Strength Class on Friday morning. We all need a recovery day for the entire well being. I want folks to know that their health, wellness and fitness are all about more than just what they can accomplish physically. Your mental clarity and strength and allowing your soul and heart to shine are equally important to your health and creating a healthy lifestyle.
I know what you may be saying. You want to tell me that you need to hustle. You need to work. You need to keep pushing and pushing. You need to get to the gym and bang out another hard workout. You want to tell me that you cannot afford to take a rest day. I feel that same need to hustle in work and life and to keep up with a workout schedule and continue consuming more information. But I’ve also realized that I can’t afford to NOT take that active recovery day. My body, mind and soul cannot afford NOT to have a day of rest and rejunivation.
Those times of rest are when we grow. In all the areas that matter.
Am I telling you to stay on the couch binging on Netflix all day? Of course not. I am saying go for a walk, take a yoga class, go for a swim, Pilates class, bike ride. Just don’t feel the need to kill it on your active recovery day.
Read a book for fun, watch a movie, have a conversation. Allow yourself to have some quiet to think, let your mind wander, come up with ideas.
You will be having a full, active day that is loaded with goodness in a different way. You can allow yourself to rest and grow. This is a day I stress in our Better & Beyond Program. All week we are working to get better at our nutrition and fitness. At the same time we are working on taking time for finding space for our well-being. This is crucial to help you on your journey to have the energy, ideas, and refreshed outlook to continue a lifestyle of longevity.
Maybe Sunday isn’t your active recovery day due to your schedule and, of course, that’s fine. Find another day of the week to give yourself – your body, your mind and your soul- a recovery day. Notice the difference!
Live Well!
*Hope you’ll join us for our NEXT ROUND of Better & Beyond beginning Sept 23 with a week of prep. Get all the info HERE!
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