Body Rhythms and Results

Happy St. Patty's Day!...Yes, I started my morning and donned my green hoodie... am I Irish? No. Just in the spirit. In times of ecological awareness, does our focus on green stop at wearing colors and sharing a pint? How about a shift in thinking this year, how about doing green instead of wearing it? (or both!) Commit to walk or bike to work today (or perhaps ride share or transit if it's a rainy Monday as it is here in Vancouver) My 'green' suggestion for the day...

Body Rhythms and Results

In a session with a client this morning I was reminded of the importance of listening to the body. That each day is a different day, mentally and physically. When we are making changes to shift our physical bodies, be it aesthetic, rehabilitation or otherwise it is easy to get wrapped up what i call the 'have to' mentality. The 'if I want this I 'have to' workout, I 'have to' push hard even when this may go completely against what our body is telling us. That instead of listening to our bodies natural rhythms and signs of stress we ignore and move forward and train or fuel ourselves as if it were an optimum day. This can often be detrimental to our results and leave us at risk for injury.

As a guide to my clients health and wellness, I am trained to tune into their body's rhythms, to pay attention to how their strength is from one workout to the next. If I notice anything out of the ordinary, I usually do two things...

1) Mention it to them, this opens the door for discussion about anything going on that may affect their workout and goals. This could include the stresses of work, home or life, as well as rest, nutrition and physical limitations/injuries.
2) Adapt the workout slightly based on these conversations. This may mean a day of yoga if the body is tired or a day to push if the body is strong.

If you are working out on your own, how does this information help you? A few questions in a quiet moment at the beginning of your day can help fine tune your ability to tap into your own energy and thus what your workout should be like on any given day...

1) Do I feel rested today? Have I had adequate sleep? (this is specific to you - the amount required varies from person to person)
2) Do my muscles and joints feel limber and movements are pain free? (again specific to your body)
3) Have I fueled myself well? Is my nutrition and water consumption where it should be for my body weight and activity level?

If you answered yes to all of these questions, it is a good indicator that you can move ahead with your planned workout. Have fun and train hard! If you answered no, perhaps we should go a little deeper...

1) Have I had a rest day recently? Have I been training too much?
2) Am I under significant stress and/or have I had any emotional triggers in the past few days? If you aren't sure, often an emotional trigger will cause us to fall into unhealthy habits ie: smoking, drinking, overeating/not eating etc...

Once you've answered these questions, you should have a better idea of what your workout should look like today. Without adequate rest, the muscles that we are working so hard to build, cannot heal. Added stress (this can come from many areas, the body doesn't differentiate!) can cause raised cortisol levels, exacerbating tightness in muscles and further inhibiting our hard work in the gym. Muscle tightness (as well as elevated heart rate) can also be indicators of a compromised immune system ie; oncoming cold or flu. Perhaps this would be a good day to take a leisurely walk in the woods or catch a light yoga class. If you haven't taken a day off in awhile, take a complete day off, we all need at least one day of rest a week! If you think there is an emotional link to it, a chat with a friend or a creative outlet (think drawing, music, writing) can be a great source of release without further taxing the body.

The ability to recognize the signs of your body and take a 'light' day when needed is an important tool for long term results. We are looking for lifestyle shifts here and understanding YOUR BODY and when to take a day will help you achieve your goals.

As they say life is a marathon not a sprint...