This was a challenging week and I definitely struggled making my workouts happen. Sometimes workouts can feel like a chore. But this week I reconnected with my belief that fitness should support your lifestyle and be enjoyable. I was reminded to listen to my body and not be afraid to make necessary changes. Read on to discover how you can change your mindset to make your workouts happen!
I believe that fitness should support your lifestyle. It should be enjoyable rather than being a chore.
But this week, the very idea of exercising felt like a chore. This happens to everyone. It’s your body’s way of saying that it needs something else. Maybe a different form of movement, or switching gears to focus more on rest, recovery and rejuvenation.
I live with Ehlers-Danlos, a hypermobility disorder that requires specific daily movement to manage pain and ensure my muscles maintain enough tension to hold my skeleton together. Since January of 2019, I’ve worked closely with a team of Physical Therapists to improve my strength and endurance and discover exercises that work to treat my hypermobility.
While I am so grateful to have worked back to this point in my strength and endurance, I run into a problem when my body starts asking for something different. What works really well for me is a set type of exercise done nearly every day. If I don’t exercise, it literally feels like my body is falling apart. If I try different exercise, I risk overdoing it which can cause joint subluxations which hurt a lot.
But this week, I think my body was craving some alternative forms of movement. You can only do the same handful of exercises so many times before your body and mind need something different you know?
This week I was still making my workouts happen by doing the bare minimum of my usual exercises and resting a lot! I made the mistake of forgetting that I’ve learned how to listen to my body and better limit myself when trying new exercises.
Making it Happen in New Ways
So, moving forward to next week, I’m going to start trying some alternative forms of movement. Starting with some gentle yoga on my recovery days, and maybe instead of some of my workouts. Most importantly, I’m going to be very flexible and listen to my body and move in ways that are enjoyable.
Because, while I don’t really have the option to NOT exercise (really, no one should take that option!), I will remember that I have a TON of options. I am more than capable of not only making my workouts happen, but finding ways to move that are enjoyable, energizing, and support my lifestyle without overdoing it!
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Monday
Light Full Body Workout + Afternoon Nap
Between the remaining bit of head cold and my neck being out, I’ve not been sleeping well at all. Even going to bed a bit early, I’ve been needing some extra rest.
I’ve not been feeling like working out but I still need to focus on making it happen. So I did the full body workout I like to fall back to when nothing else sounds good, then took a nap!
Tuesday
Light Full Body Workout + Afternoon Nap
Until I get my neck adjusted tomorrow, I’m sticking with my standard full body workout and nap. I don’t know if it’s necessarily helping, but I’m not feeling any worse, and I can tell my body is needing the rest.
But as I’ve learned before, I really can’t afford to take too much time off from my workouts. So I’ve got to keep making the workouts happen and create a good balance with rest.
Wednesday
Full Body Workout + Neck Adjustment
Again sticking with my same full body workout – just enough to keep things moving and coordinating. Plus it’s usually a good plan to do my workout before my neck adjustment to help my body accept the adjustment.
After the adjustment, things definitely felt better. Hoping I can get some better sleep now!
Thursday
Rest Day
After getting my neck adjusted, I was hoping I would sleep better. But I still couldn’t seem to get comfortable and slept horribly. I took some time in the afternoon to nap and took the day off from exercising because I was just so tired.
Friday
Full Body Strength Workout + 1 mile Run
I finally made it back to the gym today. But to be honest, I really wasn’t feeling it. My neck has been fighting the adjustment – it probably wasn’t smart to take Thursday off. And I’m still not sleeping well plus there’s some residual head cold.
But like I’ve said before, when I’m stuck in this feeling blah sort of rut, the best thing I can do is get back to my workouts.
I stuck with exercises that normally help my neck feel good. But my neck still complained the entire workout, getting neither better nor worse. And my hips and core did not want to get coordinated. The run felt ok at least. And I spent some time in the evening icing my neck which felt wonderful.
As frustrating as it can be to go back to feeling like this, I’m proud of myself for making it happen. And I know if I keep gently pushing, it will get better. The more I focus on the positive and making it happen, the better life will be.
Saturday
Rest Day
With my neck still complaining, I’m not entirely sure I actually held the adjustment. I ended up taking it easy, doing some gentle movement throughout the day, and icing my neck.
In retrospect, I should have done a light workout the day after my adjustment. But between yesterday’s workout and all the icing, I’m definitely feeling better.
Sunday
25 min Warm Up + 3 mile Tempo Run + Afternoon Nap
I was feeling well enough and brave enough to try for a full workout. Since the run on Friday felt the best out of all the activity I’ve been doing, I decided to do a long warm up and then another run.
It took me a solid 25 minutes to get adequately warmed up – until my hips stopped clicking. But once I got on the treadmill, I felt great. My form and breathing were perfect and I was even up for a gentle tempo run! I made sure to follow up with a good cool down where some neck stretches felt awesome.
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I felt pretty energized when I got home but once the kids and I finished lunch and I got them down for nap and quiet time, I crashed out myself. Afternoon naps are seriously the best!
What did you do this week? Got next week planned yet?
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