What Happened When I Took Two Weeks Off From the Gym

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There is a crucial balance in fitness between working hard and resting your body. My workout schedule is usually 3 days of running and lifting - off day - 1 day of only running - 1 day of running and lifting - off day, or some close variation. Normally this seems to work well for me, but a month or so ago I noticed that even after rest days I couldn't push my body as hard as I felt like I should be able to, and I wasn't seeing much improvement in my lifts or in my endurance. My two weeks off the gym wasn't an intentional 'gym break', as I was travelling out of the country, but I am so thankful that I didn't have the option to hit the gym for a chunk of time.

1. I really did need the break. Before I left, my body was telling me that it needed a solid amount of time to recover but I just wasn't having it. Even when I would try to take some time off, I would find myself on the treadmill. I was worried that if I completely stopped for any sufficient amount of time I would lose my current progress, and I think that it was also a matter of pride and feeling weak for needing to spend some time out of my normal routine. Consequently, I was hitting a major plataue because my body had had enough. After being back for a couple of weeks after my time off, I am already seeing positive changes in my strength, physique, and endurance.

2. I didn't miss it as much as I thought I would. Granted, I was busy having fun during the two weeks, but I thought that I would have withdrawals without my normal runs or squats. I was happy to be back into after the break, but it's good to know that I truly enjoy spending a chunk of my day sweating like a pig and I'm not doing it because I have an addiction. I dedicate a lot of my time to my love of fitness, but I really was alright without it for a time. Sometimes it's hard to admit that fitness is not life... it's just a small part of life.

3. I hit it a little too hard once I was back to the grind. I was surprised that I could do my usual 40 minutes of cardio without much struggle, but my normal leg day was a different story. After the third set of my first lift, I could already feel the strain on my muscles, but I decided to continue with the rest of what I had planned anyways. I then felt the consequences of that decision for the next few days. Lesson here is that you can ruin your newly rested body if you aren't careful about easing back into it.

4. I am more motivated to spend time actively recovering. After coming back, I have been more intentional about stretching daily and trying to get to yoga regularly. Recognizing that I wasn't being good to my body and that I had pushed it to a breaking point makes me want to be really careful to be dedicated about a well rounded fitness plan. Hopefully spending the time to recover before I am feeling extra strain will keep me from hitting such a steep plateau in the future.

5. I set new goals. Feeling good coming back into my workouts made me motivated enough to set some future plans! I don't feel like I am just barely making into the gym each night; I feel excited and ready to do big things again! So not only did my body have time to heal, but my fitness heart had some time to re-amp itself too!

Are you Overdoing it With Your Workouts?

If your workout and health routines are taking over your life, it could be a sign that it has turned from a healthy lifestyle to an addictive one.

This topic is one that I regularly have running through the back of my mind because I want to keep my fitness something that I love to do, not something that I have to do. I have had phases of life that I did let my fitness and my 'healthy' eating go so far that they became damaging and addicting. The consequences negatively affected my mind, my soul, and my body so I don't ever want to go back to that again. Nutrition and fitness are very important to me, but I do not think that they should ever define me. There will be times in my life that I won't make it to the gym as much and my fitness level will always fluctuate, but that should not change my identity or how much value I place in myself. Maybe the priority you have to keep in check isn't fitness, but I think that same concept can be applied to any lifestyle.

Taking fitness and health to an unhealthy obsession can be damaging physically as well as mentally. Overworking your body and not leaving yourself enough time to recover can lead to damage of the muscles, ligaments, and joints as well as dehydration, calorie deprevation, etc. Your workouts can also start to suffer if your body doesn't have enough energy to perform at it best. The pressure to push yourself too far can also start to damage your self confidence, or could signal the beginnings of a body-image disorder. 

There are a few signs that I look for when trying to keep my lifestyle in balance, and when I do notice them, I try to take some time off of the gym and eat some chocolate while reminding myself that my value comes from the person I am inside, not from what my body looks like, or how well it can run sprints.

Signs I watch for: 

- I start to get anxiety if I am forced to skip a workout. 

- I begin to religiously count calories or immediately regret eating anything 'unhealthy'. 

- I start to compare myself to others' fitness levels and feel that I do not measure up, or I am less valuable because they are more 'in shape'.

- I find it hard to cut myself some slack for a bad workout week. 

 

- My focus is shifting from living a healthy, happy life to what people will think of my public healthy, happy life. 

Keeping my own habits in check is something that helps me to continue doing what I love and keep it healthy. If you feel like you could be struggling with a body-image disorder, compulsive exercising, or obsessive healthy eating (orthorexia) and you are past the point of keeping yourself in check, I strongly encourage you to talk to someone that you trust about it. It's never too early or too late to lean on someone else or to seek some guidance when it comes to your own wellbeing. Pursuing a fit and nutritious life is rewarding, but not if it is at the expense of your health and your joy. 

 

Get your run or your lift in today, but make sure it's also feeding good things into your soul at the same time. 

Core Workout

Having a strong core is important for more than just looking good in your bikini, so just because summer is long gone and the swim suits are packed away does not mean the core workouts get to be filed away. The abdominals and back muscles are the powerhouse of your body and can help improve your physical performance as well as your every day functioning. Exercising the core muscles can help reduce back pain as well as improve balance and posture. Opposing muscles - back and abdominals- need to be strengthened evenly in order to prevent one from overpowering the other and leading to injury or discomfort. Try out these core moves for your next workout and keep that core strong all year round! Make sure to warm up your muscles with some cardio first, and make adjustments to sets/reps/weight to challenge your fitness level.

   

     

5 Week Running Challenge!

I love cardio!! I know, I'm weird, but some of you out there might love cardio too! If you don't, you might start to love it once you start to make it a habit, or maybe you will just hate it a little less. I've put together a little running challenge for you to follow over the next 5 weeks. You can easily modify this plan by completing the mileage goal for the day in whatever amount of time you are comfortable with. You can also repeat a week until you feel ready to move on to the next. Make sure that you are challenging your mind and your body, but also be careful to listen when your body is over-tired or at risk for injury. 

I've recommended one or two days a week that you could still get some alternative cardio miles in and get your heart rate up but give your body a change of pace from running. The days that are set aside for rest days can be moved around if those don't work for your schedule, but you want to make sure that you are getting recovery time! The sprint workout days are meant to be adjusted faster or slower to your sprinting pace. I also like to add some incline into the mix for that day as well! Make sure that you are properly warmed up if you are going to run at a fast pace, and give yourself a little bit of cool-down time as well.  While you should go at your own pace, I challenge you to find a consistent pace to try to stick to throughout your run; remember that running is a hugely mental activity and you are capable of doing anything you set out to do! Please comment to let me know how you are feeling and with helpful tips you learn throughout the challenge! 

I am not a personal trainer. 

My Fit Friend Heather

I love the way that this girl does fitness! I know very few people who work as hard has she has in order to get her routine down for her recent Fitness competitions. She's up early, she sticks to her diet plan, but most importantly, she stays happy and healthy throughout the entire process. I got to go watch Heather compete at the Warrior Classic a couple of weeks ago and it was so much fun to watch her get up on stage and have a blast. She inspires me to challenge my body to do things that I didn't know it could do and to keep pushing my fitness to new levels. I'm so proud of her and I can't wait to watch her go on to Nationals! 

Follow Heather on Instagram: @hb_fitness

My Favorite Leg Day

Here are some of my favorite leg lifts! I like to do my cardio before I lift, and lately have been starting with 40-60 minutes of the treadmill, stair master, or bike. For each of the exercises below, choose a weight that will allow you to do 3 or 4 sets of 10-12 reps. 

I'm also wearing one of my favorite new workout outfits from Fabletics!

Disclaimer: I am not a personal trainer.

Staying Motivated to Workout

Whether you have been a dedicated gym-goer for years or you are just getting started, you know that getting and keeping yourself motivated to stay fit is not easy. Here are some of my tips for sticking to your plan!

1. Get a buddy
I don't mean ask a friend if they want to go find a new workout outfit with you at Lulu Lemon. I mean find a friend who will honestly keep you accountable and understands that your decision to get into a regular fitness routine is important to you. Surround yourself with friends that won't make you feel bad for saying no to dinner because you have to get to the gym. The challenging part of getting a buddy is that if they can't make it to the gym you are tempted to duck out too, so don't let that happen! Ask them to hold you to that.

2. Stop looking at the scale, the mirror, and at everyone else
The only way that you are going to be able to form a habit that you are able to stick with over a lifetime is if you are doing it because you love yourself and you believe that you are worth it! While getting to a healthy weight does great things for your health, the scale can be a frustrating and misleading way to evaluate your fitness progress. The same goes for looking into your full length mirror too often - and that goes for anyone at any fitness level. We all have insecurities, and we can all pick apart our bodies until we feel depressed and unmotivated to continue with our hard work. Your progress is your own, and it does not matter what speed the person next to you is running at, or how fast your friend from book club lost her baby weight. You do the best that you can and then walk away from your workout proud.

3. Set good goals
Set a couple of short-term and long-term goals that you would like to accomplish. I encourage you to set goals that have nothing to do with specific amount of weight loss based on my thoughts listed in the above point. Performance goals can be a great way to measure your progress along your fitness journey. If you can only do three push-ups in a row when you start working out, set a goal of being able to do five, and then keep increasing it as you go! Setting a mileage goal for your week or your month can also be a good way to keep you regularly hitting your workouts to ensure that you don't have to make it all up in one day. Signing up for fun 5/10K's like the Color Run, or challenging obstacle courses like the Spartan Race, or Tough Mudder can give you something to train for and can also be a great way to get a group of friends motivated with you. Whatever your goals are, tell people about them so that they can cheer you on while you are working toward them.

4. Make a routine
Some people rave about starting their day with a workout, and that is awesome for them. I cannot wake up and work out first thing in the morning if my life depended on it. I do much better when I schedule my workout for the end of my day. I head straight from work to the gym with my bag packed with everything that I will need, and with my workout plan written out. This is just the rhythm that is functional for my lifestyle. Pick something that will work for you, and then make it as seamless as possible. If you are going to workout when you wake up, then sleep in your workout clothes and put your shoes next to your bed. If you stick to a new habit for a solid 30 days in a row, you will be far more likely to make it last long-term. Make the first 30 days of your new routine happen with absolutely no excuses, and then evaluate how you feel - my guess is pretty accomplished. Another part of a long lasting fitness routine is your rest days. Make sure that you have a day or two a week that your body can recover, because if you burnout you will be much more likely to quit altogether.

5. Keep it exciting
Your fitness has to be molded to you! The active things that you like to do might not be the same as the people around you, but you can find something that will keep you going on the days that it feels like you would rather sink into your couch for a Netflix marathon. Try out different options to figure out what you love. If yoga is right up your ally, then find classes that are going to challenge you and help you reach your goals (those Vinyasa push-ups are no joke). Vary your class choices, or your lifting plans. Bodybuilding.com has great programs and muscle group exercises to keep you on your toes.

6. Stop Following the Unwritten Rules

Just because your workout plan has you staring on a Monday does not mean that you have to wait until next Monday to get to it. Cross out the days of the week on your plan if you need to, and then start today. If you miss a day in the middle of the week, don't throw the rest of the week in the trash! Give yourself a little bit of grace when you don't stick to your plan like you are suppose to, but make sure that you don't let it become a slow decline to ditching your plan altogether.

Photo credit: Flickr users Jonathan Rolande and Celestine Chua