Exercising does build muscle and burn calories, so you think more is better, right? "Not giving your body days off to recover can increase cortisol," Marci said, which can make it harder to lose weight. NASM-certified personal trainer and NPC bikini competitor Dee Gautham told POPSUGAR "Elevated cortisol levels result in many negative symptoms, like feeling fatigued, poor sleep, water retention (which can make you feel bloated and actually mask fat-loss), poor immune system functionality, and much more."
Rest days help your body repair and recover. Dee added, "If fat loss is your goal, taking a day to rest your muscles and restore your energy can help you push harder in the gym the next day, so you can get to your fat loss goal more efficiently." She said that a beginner just starting to work out might need two to three rest days a week, while a more experienced athlete might be fine with one day.
