Redefining Fitness: The Part You Don't See.

 It is a struggle. I get it.

I look back at old pictures and video's of me competing 2-3 year's ago. I was in GREAT shape.  I was strong. I had a great cardio capability.  I was winning competitions in this region.  I was at the top of my game.

And then I look at myself now.  I redo those workouts I used to do and find myself 20 seconds, 30 seconds, even minutes slower than I was back then.  And its tough.  I get discouraged.  I see girls I have beat in competitions, surging ahead, getting sponsorships, going to the CrossFit games, winning National Olympic Lifting meets. I want to be in that shape ALWAYS.  AGAIN. It messes with my head.  I need to work harder. I need to do more workouts. I need to get another coach. I need to push more. I have let myself go. I am weak.

And on...and on.

Success becomes an addiction.  It did for me.  I NEEDED that rush. That boost to my ego. I needed affirmation in my work ethic and abilities.  And while that is a good thing in some areas of life, and has gotten me to this point in my business...I also know its a big struggle for me as well.

I love competing. I love pushing my body.  But I don't love the addiction to the NEED to do so.

And I believe I am not alone...
99% of the time we see fitness coaches, motivational posters, exercise enthusiasts, nutrition guru's, CrossFit athletes, and so much more saying...

1 more rep.
Give it your all.
Don't be a quitter.
Push harder.
Pain is weakness leaving the body.
Sweat. Grind. Hustle.
Think about what your opponent is doing, and do more.

I get it.
It is motivating on those days you don't want to get out of bed.
It is encouraging on those late night's when you haven't gotten a workout in yet.
It is inspiring when you feel like giving up.

But, there is another side to this mentality.  It typically is an issue for a person who has been in a fitness routine for a little while.  Who loves their gym. Or has found new passion in running. Or their workout program. Loves their friends they have met through their fitness pursuits.

Loves it.
...too much.

It can become an addiction.  A need. So much so that we push past the limits of our bodies.  If we don't go to the gym, someone else is there outworking us. If we don't run everyday, we are getting beat already.  If we don't workout everyday, we are failing.  If we don't go, we might gain weight.  Or lose our strength gains. Or get behind.  Or miss out on the social aspect of our friends hanging out without us.

We don't listen to our bodies.  We don't take into consideration our stress, outside the gym.  We overlook the fact we haven't slept in a few nights.  We ignore the aching shoulder that has been nagging at us for a month now.  We neglect to pay attention to the fact our face is breaking out.  Our menstrual cycles have become irregular or non-existent.  Or that we hurt all over.  We are short-fused with our husbands and kids.

We feel worn out in our workout attempts. Weak in our strength. And our minds are exhausted.

BUT. WE. CAN'T SLOW DOWN. WE CAN'T TAKE A REST DAY.

Because that is weakness.
And we are better than that.  We can push through.  Just one more rep. One more day. One more hour. One more workout.  Everything around us screams, "don't be WEAK!"

Our ego is so loud in our ears that we don't hear the deafening cries of our body....breaking down.

And what usually happens is we get really sick and have to stop.
We get injured.
Our relationships suffer.
Our bodies begin shutting down.
Something serious enough happens that we are MADE TO STOP.

For good. Or for a long period of time.
And that is our fault.  That is the fault of those of us in this industry who don't share our rest days.  Who only show up on social media and in your life when we are "grinding."

You see the "hard work" being put in.  You see the effort, the blood, the sweat, the tears, the GOOD STUFF.
You didn't see me taking a nap 2-3 afternoons a week when I was competing hard.
You didn't see me barely able to walk up the stairs because my joints were so sore.
You didn't see me RESTING.

I did rest. And I do rest now, more than before.  BECAUSE it is important for our bodies BUT ALSO FOR OUR MINDS.

I get emails/messages daily from women apologizing for being tired. Apologizing for being up with kids and missing a workout. For being sick and not exercising the full-time that day.

And they are BLOWN AWAY when I say, "good! PLEASE take the next 2 days off, actually!"

It is OK!!!!!  It is OK to take days off. It is OK to rest. It is OK to not workout for a few days when your kids aren't sleeping well or your husbands working night shift and you are up worrying about him.

No wonder people fail fitness pursuits. Or hate exercising.  Because we make it such a black or white, do not show any weakness, if you take a rest day you have failed, if you aren't going hard then don't show up type of mentality that is DESTROYING OUR HEALTH.

I go so far as to tell my new mom's, if you are a new mom, don't workout more than 2 days a week and definitely not strenuous.  Especially if you had a C-section, your baby isn't sleeping, you are breastfeeding, and you have other children.  REST. EAT well.  Give your mind and body a chance to heal.

It is an issue that flies under the radar for most fitness businesses/professionals, etc. BECAUSE NO ONE WANTS to look weak.  And we have drilled this mindset into our clients and society so much so, we have clients apologizing for being sick and missing a workout?!

WHAT HAVE WE DONE????

SO here I am, giving you permission to take some time off. To rest. To listen to your body. To sleep in.  To REDEFINE your fitness FOR you.

The DVD says 6-days a week of workouts and you can only do 3...THEN DO 3! your gym offers CrossFit 5 mornings a week and you know by Friday you are exhausted and tired...sleep in!  Your running plan says 5 days a week of running but you always end up injured by the 12th week of this plan, CUT it down to 3 days a week.  And be proud of that.  This is YOUR journey. No one else's.  You define it. You take your own designated rest days.

And this marathon journey to fitness, will be a lot more enjoyable.  And your body will thank you.