Learning to listen to your body
Do you ever feel like your body is your enemy rather than your friend?
For a while I thought that if I just tightened up my nutrition, said no to the ice cream more often or ate less carbs, that it would make the difference. Then I messed with my workouts and tried cardio, then weights, then cardio with weights, then doubles. I've also been getting more sleep, thinking sleep might be the magic missing puzzle piece.
Now I'm realizing that it might not be any of those things. It might just be my body.
I don't know why it always takes me ages to realize it, but it's nothing I'm doing wrong. My body is acting up.
I've shared before that I have Lupus. Intellectually, I know that I have Lupus but I kind of forget about it in the day to day. I fortunately have the luxury to be able to do that for the most part because I've been very lucky in the grand scheme of things when it comes to Lupus. The possibilities with this disease are endless and I've only had what I'd consider to be minor flare-ups. In part because of that, when I have a flare, I never seem to realize that I'm in one. I think it's because I SEE MYSELF as healthy and strong, not as someone who has a chronic condition.
In trying to focus on being healthy and doing what I can to stay healthy, sometimes I misread my body.
While busting my butt in my workouts, honing in on my nutrition and sleeping more are all well and good for my overall health, they're not doing anything for me right not because of whatever's going on internally. If anything, I may have been doing myself more harm than good with the exercise. When I was feeling fatigued 2 minutes into a workout and wondering why I was so tired, I probably should have listened to my body and eased up but it's hard to know that in the moment. The rest of my efforts to get more sleep and eat healthy were all well and good but moving from 6 hours of sleep a night to 8 are all well and good normally but I need to allow myself to add a nap into the mix or push snooze a few mornings without guilt.
What's hard is giving yourself the permission to ease up. As someone who likes being a go-getter, who feels accomplished after doing a morning workout before most people are awake, who likes the energy and strength that typically comes with eating clean and strength training, it's hard when those actions aren't creating those feelings for you.
It's hard to tell your brain that it's ok to ease up in the workouts, to forgive the number on the scale or the tightness of the pants, to push snooze more often. Those are not normal activities for me but what I'm trying to remind myself is that flare-ups aren't my normal. They're temporary. They're things to figure out with the doctors and in the meantime, rest and recovery is a good thing. My nutrition is still important. Getting more sleep is important. As for the workouts, mentally they're still needed so I'm pushing play most days. With that said, I'm listening to my body and my energy level more and those HIIT workouts I love so much are fewer and further between than they were a month ago but that's ok. For now it's Piyo, some Country Heat and the occasional weights workout for me.
Now I'm realizing that it might not be any of those things. It might just be my body.
I don't know why it always takes me ages to realize it, but it's nothing I'm doing wrong. My body is acting up.
I've shared before that I have Lupus. Intellectually, I know that I have Lupus but I kind of forget about it in the day to day. I fortunately have the luxury to be able to do that for the most part because I've been very lucky in the grand scheme of things when it comes to Lupus. The possibilities with this disease are endless and I've only had what I'd consider to be minor flare-ups. In part because of that, when I have a flare, I never seem to realize that I'm in one. I think it's because I SEE MYSELF as healthy and strong, not as someone who has a chronic condition.
In trying to focus on being healthy and doing what I can to stay healthy, sometimes I misread my body.
While busting my butt in my workouts, honing in on my nutrition and sleeping more are all well and good for my overall health, they're not doing anything for me right not because of whatever's going on internally. If anything, I may have been doing myself more harm than good with the exercise. When I was feeling fatigued 2 minutes into a workout and wondering why I was so tired, I probably should have listened to my body and eased up but it's hard to know that in the moment. The rest of my efforts to get more sleep and eat healthy were all well and good but moving from 6 hours of sleep a night to 8 are all well and good normally but I need to allow myself to add a nap into the mix or push snooze a few mornings without guilt.
What's hard is giving yourself the permission to ease up. As someone who likes being a go-getter, who feels accomplished after doing a morning workout before most people are awake, who likes the energy and strength that typically comes with eating clean and strength training, it's hard when those actions aren't creating those feelings for you.It's hard to tell your brain that it's ok to ease up in the workouts, to forgive the number on the scale or the tightness of the pants, to push snooze more often. Those are not normal activities for me but what I'm trying to remind myself is that flare-ups aren't my normal. They're temporary. They're things to figure out with the doctors and in the meantime, rest and recovery is a good thing. My nutrition is still important. Getting more sleep is important. As for the workouts, mentally they're still needed so I'm pushing play most days. With that said, I'm listening to my body and my energy level more and those HIIT workouts I love so much are fewer and further between than they were a month ago but that's ok. For now it's Piyo, some Country Heat and the occasional weights workout for me.
I don't share this to ask you to join my pity party.
I wanted to share this with you because I want you to know that if you're struggling with the scale or with your body, I get what it feels like. I have my own struggles with both. While you may not have the same thing going on, we all have our road blocks.
I know that some days it's easier to buck up and stay in the game than others.
I know that some days it's easier to buck up and stay in the game than others.
The thing that's honestly helping me the most is the support system I have in place at home and online. I have friends and challengers who are getting up every day and doing the work themselves. When they get frustrated, I support them and encourage them. Together, we find the things that can focus on that are going well and figure out what they can do tomorrow to make that day better than the bad one they're experiencing today. Now I'm doing the same for myself.
Instead of saying "F**k this!" and burying my face in a pizza, I'm going to keep trudging along because I know that what I'm doing is doing good things for my overall health. Sleep, healthy food and 30 minutes of movement a day are good for me. So even if my body is being a stubborn pain in the you know what right now, at some point, things will click back into place. For now, it's one step in front of the other.
I have 2 new online health groups kicking off this month and would love to have you join our little virtual support system. What do you say? We'll take you as you are - fit or not fit, healthy or not, exercise lover or hater, clean eater or binge eater - we've got it all and we make it work. The focus is on creating and sustaining healthier habits. Fill out the info request below if you want to join us or just want more details.
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