Less work is not one uniform condition
Reducing session length while keeping some familiar practice differs from stopping entirely. A few easier days before an event also differ from a prolonged absence. The amount, intensity, frequency, and duration of the reduction all matter.
This is why “rest makes you lose fitness” is too broad to guide a decision.
Match the decision to the goal
For someone with a specific event, the question is how to arrive with useful preparation and manageable fatigue. For someone exercising for general health, there may be no reason to organize life around a formal taper at all.
An event-specific plan also depends on the sport, prior workload, experience, and recovery needs. A schedule used by trained competitors is not automatically appropriate for someone attending a casual community event.
Keep two observations separate
Feeling fresher after doing less does not prove that every physiological capacity improved. Feeling awkward after time away does not prove that every adaptation disappeared. Performance reflects both capacity and current fatigue, along with skill and conditions.
If life requires a break, the useful next step is to reassess current tolerance and rebuild a workable routine. There is no need to interpret the interruption as erasing all earlier activity or making future progress impossible.
