Exercising is good for your body, but sometimes working out may not be a good idea. It’s common to have some issues that take you off from your daily routine. The key is to listen to your body and the cues it is giving you and decide if exercise is right at that time. This doesn’t mean that you have to stop working out – just stop temporarily till you are ready to resume physical activity.
Here are some situations where you are better off not exercising:
- If you are sick: If you have a common cold or sore throat it may be alright to exercise. But if have stomach issues, lungs, full-body aches, a fever or flu, then it’s evident that your immune system is down and your body needs to put its energy into healing. So it’s best to avoid working out until you are well again. Additionally, when you have a flu or fever, your body is short on fluids and exercise makes you lose more fluids, making it important to avoid exercise at this time.
- If you’re pregnant: It is not that you can’t exercise during your pregnancy, but you need to consult your doctor on the type of activity that you can engage in. Yoga, swimming, walking, and other low-impact and moderate-intensity exercises can be very beneficial during pregnancy. Avoid exercises such as water skiing, bicycling and horse riding due to the risk of falls and abdominal injury. After delivery, you may need to wait for at least six months before you begin working out again and even longer if you had a C-section. Your body is recovering from a major physical and emotional upheaval and it’s better to give it more time to get ready for regular exercise.
- If you’re injured: It is essential to give your injury time to heal. On the other hand, whether you can continue with exercise depends on the severity of the injury and on which area of the body was affected. Some injuries to the upper body will not affect your ability to exercise your core and lower body, and vice versa. Consult your physician to make sure you can exercise and which type of movements you might need to avoid.
- When you are stressed: Sometimes regular workouts cannot eliminate those extra pounds. In such situations, most people tend to be self critical and get stressed and frustrated as they can’t reach their goal. Stress can have negative consequences. The consequence is overeating, a decrease in your body’s ability to burn calories, and a tendency for the body to store fat. In such situations, skip a workout or two, take some time to reflect, and find ways to enjoy exercising again.
