While it's important to give your body downtime, you don't have to plop down on the couch all day. Light cardio helps get the heart rate up and blood flowing, which will bring oxygen and nutrients to sore muscles. So unless you're injured or have strained a muscle, get up and move a little! Use this day to stroll through your farmers market, take a walk with a friend, or enjoy a leisurely swim. Also, switch up your workout — if your legs are sore, work on your upper body, or vice versa.
Gabby is a huge fan of balancing out her body on rest days. If she runs on one day, she'll strength train on another. The goal is to just stay active and moving without putting stress on an already-worked body. "You can't push your body too hard, because you don't want to get injured or pull something," she says. When coming off an extended period of rest, Gabby says it's important to not force everything at once. "Just ease yourself into it. Do five push-ups today, and then ramp it up to 10 push-ups next time," she says.