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I’m recapping last week’s workouts and sharing my take on what it means to listen to your body. Join as I share lessons learned and how I’m moving forward.
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Happy October, everyone! I must say–I really love October. It holds so many fun things! Make the most of this new month–it’s all yours!
Listen to Your Body
Today, I want to chat a little about that phrase we’ve all heard a hundred times–“Listen to your body.” But what does that really mean? I think overall, it means being in tune with your body and noticing when little things change. Over the course of our health journeys, our bodies go through a lot and we naturally become aware of the things it’s going through.
But still, sometimes it’s easy to hear and other times it feels more like a whisper. Most people are pretty good at recognizing when they may be pushing themselves a bit too far in a workout. Honestly, I probably hang out on the side of not pushing hard enough most of the time.🤷🏻♀️ But, I can usually recognize when I need to dial it back or modify a few reps until I can catch my breath. I walk through parts of a run, do pushups on my knees, and lower my weight when form starts to suffer.
One area in which I’m not so great at listening to my body is nutrition! I imagine this is true for a lot of people. I’m craving pizza, so that must mean my body is telling me I want pizza, right? Maybe not. I believe that cravings should be indulged (in moderation), but sometimes a craving can be a signal for something else. If I’m craving a big juicy burger, that could be my body asking for fat and protein that might pack more nutritional value. Craving chocolate? While I eat dark chocolate on the regular, I will often try to replace that craving for sugar with fruit. This is a work in progress for me, but one I know I should be intentional about out of respect for my journey.
Related: Amazing Abs Workout
Another example of listening to my body that I’m trying to be more intentional about is sickness/fatigue. If I wake up feeling more tired than usual, I expect I’ll shake it off a few minutes into my workout. If this happens a few days in a row, I’m NEVER surprised when the symptoms start to resemble a cold–and yet, I’m not in tune enough to recognize that I need to take it down a notch to keep myself from getting sick in the first place. It’s a lot easier to rest as part of prevention than it is to rest because you’re forced to. Again, this is a work in progress, but one I truly need to recognize.
How do you listen to your body?
Last Week’s Workouts
Sunday, 09/23/18:
Hubby and I went to church Sunday morning, out to lunch, and then for a few errands. After we got home I convinced myself to do about half an hour of yoga. I needed the stretch–especially after not having fit in yoga for a couple of weeks prior.
Monday, 09/24/18:
I started the week off with glutes and shoulders. It was an interesting combination, but one that left me ready to take on my Monday!
Tuesday, 09/25/18:
A steady conditioning workout was just what I needed on Tuesday morning. It got me sweating, but worked every inch like I was hoping it would!
Related: Five Things I Loved in September
Wednesday, 09/26/18:
My school had conference day on Wednesday, which meant I would be sitting for the majority of the day. I took that opportunity to fit in a quick run/walk before hitting biceps and triceps. As expected, I spent the rest of the day in conferences, so I was thankful for early morning movement.
After conferences, I dashed across town for a haircut. I’m now rocking long bangs for the first time in about four years. I cut a few inches off too and it feels SO MUCH LIGHTER.
Thursday, 09/27/18:
Rest day.
Friday, 09/28/18:
An intense leg day was on tap, but I could tell I didn’t have the energy stores for that kind of workout. I stuck to just chest and back and was done in 30 minutes. The perfect Friday workout!
Related: Last Week’s Workouts: Fitting It All In
Saturday, 09/29/18:
Saturday morning was a happy day around our house–not only because I got in some kickboxing cardio in Studio Tone It Up, but because I got my pumpkin spice fix! My husband and I hunted down my favorite Natural Bliss Pumpkin Spice Creamer and we found some Dave’s Killer Bread Pumpkin Spice bagels! The bagels are so good. I can’t find them online, but we love the DKB White Done Right too!
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