You need a break....BUT should you take it....MY guide to taking "off days!"

Now, this may rub some the wrong way...but I truly don't care....and it needs to be said.

Everyone deserves an off day....even professionals.

Today I woke up, mentally and physically exhausted....in the past 11 days my life has been in speed mode.

A new baby boy....

Which lead to ....

-15 episodes of vacuum cleaning

-800000 loads of laundry with more baby clothes than Carters

-Washing and scrubbing the kitchen floors to a point we could eat off them a dozen times

-Walking, running multiple miles, throwing, swimming and brushing Brea baby more times in a day than you can imagine

-Running to the grocery store multiple times a day, forgetting things and having to go back AGAIN😂

-Making dinners edible enough to eat

-Holding, comforting and trying darn near everything to keep Noah from crying and fussing.

-Changing and cleaning the little man

-Helping Meggy recover and rest and being her biggest cheerleader through something I cannot even fathom doing as a man. 

Add the lack of sleep and still managing to run a business and online community, 3 editorials, class and 2 columns....

I may start to get a little tired.

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WHAT I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW IS THAT I AM NOT COMPLAINING NOR IS THAT THE PURPOSE OF ME STATING ALL THIS.

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But what I am doing is for-shadowing you to the state of my feelings today....

I woke up feeling like a 90 year man, barely able to roll out of bed, hobbling to my dresser to change where I can barely see my clothes I am still so tired....

I am taking an OFF DAY.

I don't care what people think. I truly do believe I am one of the fittest humans around....and taking one day off is NOT going to ruin my goals or physique.

Sure...I battle inner demons telling me to:

"stop being a lazy ass and go workout"
"you will get fat"
"your being a wuss, you don't need an off day"
"man up, stop being so emotional"
"get used to it, train regardless"

I hear all the voices telling me to keep surging through....and just go get a workout in....but ultimately....why? Would it serve me a purpose? To workout through fatigue and a state of feeling so tired I put soy sauce in my BCAA drink last night?

After all, I take no credit nor do I DARE open my mouth about how bad I am feeling. My wife has ALL the jobs right now. I do NOT and CANNOT imagine doing what she is right now, feeding and doing her thing as a newborn mother....WOW....talk about love. She is the one battling TRUE fatigue, emotional changes and all sorts of new experiences. I love her to pieces and keep doing everything I can just to help anyway I can!

But it is leading to me feeling tired....so this OFF DAY is drawing a lot of attention, and I decided to write about it in terms of my 5 signs that you need to take one!

I get SO many members asking me if I ever do, and I always say no, but it's how I structure my workouts that enables me to "do something" each day. Whether it's low key flows or HIIT or heavy lifting...it all has its place in my weekly regimen.

So, let's get to my signs before my eyes get too blurry to type here....

1) You are NOT sleeping.

This may sound backwards to what you may think, but actually when you are overtraining and in need of a break, you have a hard time sleeping. Sleep is when you produce hormones for muscle growth and repair, so when your not sleeping insomnia sets in which can spike cortisol and create adrenal fatigue which can spiral into an ongoing issue. I found back in my triathlon days that the long bouts of training had me unable to sleep. This is the very reason!

2) ALWAYS sore and hurting.

DOMS is one thing, but feeling beat up, exhausted, and unable to perform other daily activities is another. If you find yourself dragging during the day to perform your work or even help with chores....then you may be over doing it and need to take a day! There is no reason to train through pain! Listen to your body! I had a hard time doing this over the years but once I started listening....my workouts and recovery went through the roof!

3)EXTREMELY Thirsty

Something not many think about....but when you are drinking tons and tons of water and feel like you can never get enough....it is a sign you are doing too much and need to take a day off! Why? Over training can put your body in a catabolic state where you are burning muscle tissue! This is actually counter-productive to your goals and will ultimately have you set up for injury or even something worse! When you are doing this you are dehydrating your system so it will make you more thirsty and you can possibly even develop an electrolyte imbalance.

4) FEELING WEAK!

“Our nervous systems naturally cycle between two modes throughout the day and night: ‘rest and relax’ mode and ‘fight or flight’ mode,” explains Weller, Exercise Specialist for Precision Nutrition. “Stressors like exercise or an argument shift you into ‘fight or flight’ mode, and your body releases stress hormones like cortisol to power your body through. Once that stressor is gone, you shift back into ‘rest and relax’ mode when your hormones reset and your body recovers. 

“Your brain signals to your muscles when it’s time to contract or fire,” says Weller. So even if your muscles themselves are strong, your strength and performance may suffer because your nervous system is worn down."

Ever have the days where the weights feel 10000000 times heavier than normal? Or is it a constant feeling? Pay attention, because if it is just one day that is normal...but if you constantly feel like the weight is heavy and you feel weak, 9/10 you are over-doing it or not fueling properly. All this stress can interfere with your ability to lift!

5) Your Motivation is GONE!

When you are stressed or burned out....the gym feels more like a chore than a treat. Plain and simple.

When you are heading to workout, you should be thanking God for the ability to train and the purpose of releasing endorphins to help you feel happier and release stress.

BUT if you are dreading the gym, not getting results, getting sick and hating walking through the doors....it's time to take a day or two off. Go for a leisure walk or a light activity like biking or hell even go roller blading!

Just escape the weight room. Go for a hike and take in some fresh air. I find these types of days come VERY often, and when I take these mini breaks I feel NIGHT and day better about myself, my journey and the goals I have set.

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I hope these signs help you determine if that day off is needed, and many of them actually are signs of overtraining which can really affect your gym routines so make sure you take these signs seriously.

There are so many of us who "try to be strong" and push through days that you just need a break....and for me....having a newborn and the intensity at which I train surely does allow for some days off.

So if you are tired, in need of a day off....TAKE IT.

Stop believing the workouts you see on Instagram because more often than not....they are fake and not being done anyways.

Be YOU.

Listen to your body!

And if you want to get kick ass workouts that you can do with a set of dumbbells in your living room....apply for my spring slim down here and be apart of the tribe of women who want to change their bodies without the need of a gym membership!

I'll be there to guide and coach you every step of the way!

Later Gators!

Mikey