Get out and get fit; exercise every day; move from a sedentary to a more active lifestyle; these are statements we keep hearing in these days of rising obesity and its associated ills. Exercise and physical activity are seen as a panacea that can keep diseases and sickness from your door and a magic formula that can keep you looking young, slim and fit. But there are times when it’s wiser to prefer not to sweat it out, even though you feel guilty at not sticking to your routine, and that’s when:
- Colds Call: If you’re not well, if you feel a fever coming on and your nose running, it’s best to stay home and curl up in bed rather than put on a brave face and head off to the gym. A cold or a fever makes you weak and tires you out even when you get involved in mild activity. If you must get out of the house, take a slow stroll around the neighborhood so that you get your daily dose of fresh air. If the weather’s cold, make sure you bundle up and protect yourself from the elements.
- Injuries Ignite: Exercising can cause injuries if you’re not careful or if you don’t use the right technique, and the worst thing you could do to your body is to continue to exercise even when you feel that nagging pain in your knee, ankle or any other joint. Any pain indicates the presence of an injury, with the degree of pain corresponding to the severity of the injury. It’s best to stop exercising when you’re in pain and consult your doctor immediately.
- Techniques Trouble: Enthusiasm alone is not enough when you want to exercise; you must know the right techniques that will help you lose weight without hurting yourself. If you run or lift weights without using the right techniques, you’re liable to injure your knees, back and other parts of your body, sometimes permanently. Working out with someone who knows what they’re doing or hiring a personal trainer (if you can afford one), at least till you get your basics right, helps prevent injuries.
- Aches Appear: When you work out without warming up enough or when you switch to high intensity exercises that you’re not used to without giving your body time to adjust, you’re likely to develop aches and pains in muscles you didn’t know existed. It’s best at times like this to wait for a day or two before hitting the gym again. The period of enforced rest aids in the reparation of your muscles and prevents them from incurring lasting damage.
- Exercises Exceed: Overdoing any form of exercise is not good, not if you want to get the maximum benefit out of your routine. If you feel the need to keep pushing yourself, you’re likely to suffer a burn out soon enough. Doing more than you should also has a detrimental effect on your knee joints and causes early rheumatism or arthritis.