The body of a mother: Rest, Recover, Repeat.

Happy Wednesday!

For the past week I have lowered my activity level substantially. I felt like I just needed a break from working out for awhile. My body asked and I’m listening.

I consider myself an athlete. An athlete who has been in training all year around.

The truth is, everyone- every body needs a break.

HOW I KNEW I NEEDED TIME OFF:

Workouts that use to be easy for me became harder.
I felt like weight was on my shoulders throughout every workout.
Working out became something I had to do. The drive to push myself diminished.
I gain weight no matter how clean I eat or how much I worked out.
I am always tired.

I do GPP daily, teach fitness classes throughout the week 3+ times a week, along with training for marathons and such. The last year I have been doing 2-3 workouts everyday, besides Sunday.

Basically, GPP every morning and teaching a Body Pump/Attack or Running at night. Which basically my body has become accustomed to endurance wise. But trained or not, it still adds stress to the body, and mentally and physically its caught up to me.

I have actually gained weight through this process, which has probably been the most frustrating part of it all. Working out and eating clean! Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think I am overweight or a scale nazi person but my clothes aren’t fitting right and I spend way to much money at lulu to buy more human clothes. Winking smile

---> JK but its funny.

I have a lot of muscle, which I am proud of and love. I have never been stronger in the gym. But being the one that can power clean or deadlift the most weight isn’t what health is to me. I’m like everyone else, always striving to find balance in all aspects of health.

HEALTH TO ME:

Health to me isn’t about the “6-pack” or the fastest time on the board. Its about achieving a balance in my life overall- Mental, emotional, social, spiritual, financial and physical! The physical part should serve me- to help me magnify all other aspects of health, not pull from them. I didn’t use to think this way. I thought it was all about how I looked and how well I performed. But it’s not. GPP has helped me realize this more and more every day.

I have been in the health/fitness industry for years. I’ve studied nutrition, the body, participated,learned, taught, worked and sweated my way through it. It is my passion, I know it, I love it, I live it!

My best advice to you that I have been taught and learned is that:

LIFE isn’t just about your workout. Living life, outside of the gym is what will make you happy. Be active and use your fitness to propel yourself to find the balance. Let the physical serve you.

{Haha! Not really, but live longer if you do. Winking smile }

Taking this break with only make me stronger and Ill come back mentally and physically ready to work, to change and reach my goals. I’m excited to see how my body reacts to having time off. So far, so good!

I will still be coaching and teaching at the gyms I currently work at, so I will workout twice or so a week, I will be spending time walking, stretching, rolling, and just recovering. I am focusing on my nutrition as well. {as always}.

I have made a to-do list for things I want to focus on more during this little break. My house, mainly my yard will thank me.

I love working out and its actually not easy for me to NOT work out. It is important to me though, and I really love what I do. I just knew it was time to rest. everyone needs it! I started 7 days ago and feel better then I have the last 3 months. I’m itching to run, but I know the break will be good for me.