Sometimes the best thing you can do for your body is nothing at all.  

Right now my parents are on a wonderful cruise around the Greek Isles. Two weeks of lounging, buffet meals and cocktails. No running track, water aerobics or even a driving range. Realizing how much they could benefit from a state of the art fitness facility instead, I volunteered to go in their place. "Maybe next time," my dad said. "We intend to do nothing at all." I didn't get it at first. To me, a day without muscle strain is a day without sunshine.

Then, yesterday, it dawned on me: Rest is a good thing. When traveling, don't feel you have to fit in wall-to-wall workouts to stay on track. Don't think of a day off as a day wasted. It could be the best thing you can do for your body. The body needs to recharge, just like any well-oiled machine. As much I love the adrenaline rush of exercise, to prevent overtraining and promote good health, one full day of rest every week is essential. And by rest, I mean total inertia.

If you are going to take a walk, then stroll, no "power walking." If you are going to veg out, don't try to sneak in a quick set of abdominals. The fact is muscles grow while you rest and recuperate. It is between your workouts that your body rebuilds and muscles repair themselves.

Also, rest does not have to be a solitary activity. Many hotels offer massage services and after a long day in some strange city, a massage could be just what this columnist ordered. An hour-long massage breaks up stiffness, while preventing overuse injuries by loosening overworked and tight muscles. A good massage is an hour of affordable bliss that melts stress and boosts energy. Massage prompts the release of endorphins (that's a good thing).

So whether lying like a lox or being kneaded like a loaf, remember the sometimes the best thing you can do for your body is nothing at all.

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