I have been doing great with my eating and exercise this week. Spot on. I went to zumba all three nights. I took a walk on the canal with Todd (until he whined that it was too cold) and I have done my two scheduled runs (Monday and Wednesday...next is scheduled for Friday). Rockin' it!
The problem? My exercise this week has been a real struggle. HUGE struggle. I've done it. Mondays run was OK...the front end was rough but it did even out and I felt much better toward the back end. Zumba has been a study of perseverance....mind over matter. But I've done it. Last night as I was got to zumba I notice my right hip really bothering me. I pushed through it. Eased it down a bit, basically hoping that the movement and stretching afterward would ease it up...and honestly it did help.
I got home last night and I was WHIPPED. I vowed to make it an easy workout day today...maybe just a walk or a light spin on my exercise bike. However, I woke up this morning and feel like I was hit by a train. I'm sore and achy and just plain tired. GRRRR So guess what? This is a day of rest now. Above all else this journey is about health. And that means that when my body is telling me to stop...that I stop.
The trick? Knowing when it really is my body or if it's it my brain that is telling me to stop. You see, my brain sends me these false signals to try to keep me from working out. My brain doesn't like the fact that I'm so active. I truly feel as if it is my body this time. What indicators back it up? I slept a lot longer than normal and struggled to get up (and only woke up because Todd was shuffling around the house making noise...and then wanted breakfast). I ache...my body is aching...my hip HURTS...my back is achy...my legs are achy. I could lay down right now and sleep. Yeah, this is no brainer......it's a rest day.
Healthy lifestyle OVER foolhardy behavior! I want to be healthy. That means that sometimes I need to back off. This is not a race to the finish line. It is a shift in thinking. A shift in how I approach life. I know that I'm going to be sore (it's been my constant companion of late). But it also means recognizing when that soreness goes beyond the realm of 'normal' and to then stop and let my body recover. What does that mean today? It means that I go easy on exercise. MAYBE a light walk. MAYBE a light ride on the exercise bike...but LIGHT being the operative word. (however right now the thought of doing one of those things makes me literally want to cry) What else does it mean??? Eating? Nope, that remains spot on! No excuse for overeating!
It just takes us all time to learn, really learn our body over mind.
ReplyDeleteWay to listen to your body! That is great. Sometimes we get too focus on not letting doubt enter our minds that we forget to listen to our bodies, when they need rest we must listen or be down for the count. So if you take one real rest day, sleep, soak in the tub. It's ok. Muscles do get tired.You always give it 100%, so one day of rest is allowed!
ReplyDeleteI have read that the recuperation period is really good for the body. You can certainly overdo it. If your body is telling you to back off, it's a good thing to listen. Just get back on track the next day.
ReplyDeleteGood for you listening to your body. Taking a rest day is as important as the exercise days.
ReplyDeleteI take at least 1 rest day a week. The only exercise I do on that day is taking Bella out for a walk.
And I make sure I have variation in my workouts: hard workouts combined with easy (like yoga or easy runs).
I would say: plan your rest day like you plan your workout days. You deserve them.