Should You Exercise When You Don’t Feel Well?
When you do not feel your best, exercise is probably the last thing you want to do. But, when you have goals in mind, it can be hard to give yourself a break and take a rest day. The truth is, when your body is already experiencing stress due to illness adding additional stressors like exercise is not always a good idea. There are, however, times when light exercise could actually be beneficial. Advanced Surgical and Weight Loss Institute knows that your commitment to health and well-being is a significant one and a fitness plan is crucial to sustainable weight loss. We want you to stay safe during your workouts and know when it is best to take a rest day without any guilt or fear. Illness can throw a wrench in your plans so knowing when to rest and when you can keep on is important.
If you suffer from sinus problems and allergies or wake up with a stuffy nose or light cough, it may be hard to decipher whether or not exercising is a good idea for the day. Most experts agree on something called the neck rule. Simply put, if your symptoms are above the neck you are probably good to go when it comes to exercise. You may need to modify your routine to accommodate your energy level, but you should be okay for a workout of some kind. However, if your symptoms have gone below the neck or you have chest congestion, fever, chills, or nausea, rest is best. These types of symptoms could be indicative of something more serious like the flu or bronchitis.
After you have determined whether or not you are good to go, you will need to think about how your body feels. Are you up for a hard class? Is pushing yourself to lift heavier really a good idea for the day? Health.com has a great list of the best exercises for you if you are feeling under the weather. They also include exercises you should avoid when you are not feeling your best. Walking is always a great choice so are gentle workouts like yoga and tai chi. It is probably best to avoid high intensity programs like Cross Fit and long distance running if you just aren’t up to it.
The constant up and down temperatures and never ending pollen bring increasing risk factors for illness. Welcome to winter in Brevard County, FL! Cold and flu season is in full-swing and many of us are experiencing seasonal allergies that somehow tend to occur every season of the year. When you are committed to working out, what do you do if you just are not feeling your best? It can be tempting to skip your workout all together but this may not be necessary. Remember, slowing down or missing a workout won’t derail your progress but pushing through when you are not well will.