If you are either trying to lose weight, or tone and build muscle, you must have chalked out a workout plan and diet for yourself and vowed to stick to it come what may! As good as that sounds, don’t let the want of the body you dreamed of turn you into a gym junkie! Fitness instructor, Somesh Kamra, tells us about the importance of rest days in a workout plan.

What Happens When You Workout: Whatever workout plan you follow- gym, yoga, swimming or kick-boxing; your muscles are being broken down. It is when you eat post-workout, that your body builds itself. Your body builds itself when you are not working out. Most people who think that working out six days a week is an absolute must, think wrong! Your body needs time to recover and giving it just one Sunday to do that is not enough. It needs more than that.

The Ideal Workout Routine: Monday, Tuesday- Wednesday (break); Thursday, Friday- Saturday (break) and so on...

To reach your fitness goals, eating right and resting are both just as important.  Following a routine of exercise and adequate in-between rest will give you better fitness results. What you eat in the hour just before working out is crucial. If you think popping in some bread and butter is okay, you’re wrong. Your body tends to absorb fat the most quickly just before and especially right after a workout. Make sure you consume a meal that is heavy in proteins, for instance eggs are a healthy workout snack. Include fruits and juices too.

Resting adequately will also reduce the chances of injury and muscle soreness. Also, if you do not give your body enough time to recover, chances are fatigue will set in and keep you from completing your week’s workouts satisfactorily.

Tip to Ensuring Adequate Rest in between Workouts: It’s a great idea to alternate between intense and easy sets and add variations to your workout routines everyday.