Signs You Shouldn't Push Through a Workout

Sometimes it is hard for us to listen to our bodies when it comes to skipping a workout or stopping in the middle of it. But, listening to our bodies, especially when it is telling us to take a break, is one of the best things for us to maintain a healthy body and workout routine. There are certain times when your body is telling you to take a break, and you should listen to it to avoid getting injured or sick.

1. You feel sick.
• If you start feeling like you have some sort of illness coming on, there's a good chance that your body is working hard to fight it. Piling on an intense workout session while you are fighting something is never a good idea. Exercise is stress on the body, and when you are sick, your body does not need anymore stress. Additionally, making your body exercise while it's fighting away an illness could prolong your symptoms and make it harder to recover and get back to your normal routine. 
2. Something hurts.
• Pain is your body's way of telling you something is wrong. So, pay attention to these signs and take care of it before it turns into something worse. Attempting to work through feelings of pain will make the symptoms worse and delay the healing process. 
3. You're having trouble breathing.
• If you are doing a high-intensity workout, chances are you will be out of breath, but it is how quickly you recover that you should pay attention to. If you struggle to breathe during your workout, take a step back and decrease the intensity of your workouts.
4. You feel light-headed.
• Feeling light-headed could be an indication of a variety of issues including cardiovascular, metabolic or respiratory problems. If you begin to feel faint or light-headed during exercise, stop immediately to prevent a serious issue from happening. 
5. You experience chest pain, pressure or discomfort. 
• While this is rare, and normally only happens to individuals with an underlying heart issue, feeling any sense of pressure or discomfort in the chest while exercise is a sign that you should stop right away. Go to a doctor to see if there is something more serious going on with your heart. 

At the end of the day, exercise is always your best bet and you should always be physically active. However, there are certain times when you should take a step back and take a few days off from exercise, or decrease the intensity of your workouts. So, listen to your body and take into consideration what it is trying to tell you.