Do you have a love – hate relationships with working out? You love to look good but hate to do any physical exertion other than opening a bottle of wine? I hear ya, me too. But the problem is I feel like crap, and have for quite a while. But what makes me feel better? Eating clean after a good workout.
I don’t share much about my health struggles because I don’t like to empower them. And it’s not like I have a life-threatening disease, It’s just perimenopause right? (Actually, it sucks) So I diminish it, ignore it, and pretend like it’s not there. I do what my husband always says, “Put your head down and get through it.” But unfortunately, it’s not getting better even though I can see the way out.
My health ebbs and flows. When I take the time for myself, practice self-care, I feel phenomenal. When life gets busy and stress picks up, the symptoms get worse. I don’t eat right, I don’t meditate, I don’t workout, and the anxiety and insomnia take over my life. It’s a vicious cycle. I get anxious about not sleeping, then think about the million things I have to do, and never sleep. The hot flashes and night sweats don’t help.
So during my proclamation about doing literally nothing this summer and the summer of me, unfortunately, I forgot about the me part. Which is funny because I’m the queen of me. I make meal plans. I write about finding me time, and how to fill your cup when life gets overwhelming. But I haven’t practiced all of what I preach. I haven’t meditated consistently or journaled. I haven’t scheduled in date nights with my husband.
But I do work out.
I’m not an athlete, never was. That’s part of the reason perhaps I talk about sports part-time on television. But working out is part of my medicine. And let’s be clear, I suck at working out. I couldn’t run a mile until I was 40 years old, I get nauseous doing burpees, and I dread the time I lose when I exercise. But when I do work out, it’s heaven and I feel flipping fantastic.
It doesn’t matter if I only slept three hours the night before and have the energy of a sloth. It doesn’t matter if I’ve been sitting in my workout clothes all day and just walked the dog for 20 minutes after I put the kids to bed. After I exert myself the endorphins start flowing, and I feel stronger, healthier, and a little bit happier. I walk in the door refreshed after giving my brain a rest, and I feel less like crap. I feel good, despite my chronic health issues.
I have a variety of work outs I like. Walking and running with our newest addition, Ice the bomb sniffing Border Collie is fun. We have an elliptical in our guest room for days when I don’t have a ton of time. I love going to the park and working out with a trainer. And of course doing cardio with the kiddos And surprisingly I’ve been pretty consistent with this activity.
If you’re reading this, and you also feel like crap, I get it. You don’t feel like working out. You want to sleep, and eat a pint of Hagan Daaz, and binge watch Netflix. But I urge you to just try it. Get outside without your phone, breathe in some fresh air, and move your body. Choose something you love. It could be riding a bike, walking, swimming, rollerblading, or running. But just try. I guarantee at the end you will be surprised at how good you can feel.
And if you need a little more inspiration or a little accountability, I created a Facebook group. Feel free to join and help motivate others. We share recipes, articles, pics of our workouts, or just vent about life. It’s at least a place to start and help you know that you are not alone.
I haven’t reached my weight loss goals, or run a 5K yet, but each day I’m getting a little closer to my ultimate goal, getting healthy. You can too – you just have to put one foot in front of the other and breathe.
This is also the topic of Cold Coffee Episode 4 -Tova Leigh and I discuss self-care or lack thereof, the pressure to look a certain way, and other ways we take care of ourselves. Please give it a listen and let us know what you did for yourself this week! (PS – I’m really proud of this show, it’s a good one! Follow our Facebook page here!)
If you liked this post and you too are dealing with menopause, here’s a post I wrote about what menopause is like in our 30’s and beyond.
And if you are embarking on a healthier lifestyle, check out this post I wrote on healthy eating tips.
And here are some healthy snack ideas for busy women on the go. Please also follow on Facebook for more healthy living hacks!
I totally get this and I have never been an athlete myself. So, there are times where I truly have no desire to workout. But you are right when I do and eat healthier I feel so much better. Thanks for that reminder and going to try to keep up with my healthy ways more now. Truly appreciate this honest take on working out and why it is essential and beneficial here.
Great motivation here… I think doing a little something each week is a great start if you are wanting to start working out on a regular basis. I also “suck at working out” haha.. I was a collegiate athlete and honestly, I do not enjoy it but I think taking it from the angle of self care is a great way to continue with the daily push to keep going! Thanks for this perspective!
I’m reading this while on my stationary bike, which I HATE. Got home super late last night from a work event (with wine), and barely dragged my butt out of bed this morning. Got the kids on the buses and pretty sure i experienced a hot flashes😱. Thought about going back to bed for an hour, but somehow managed to convince myself that breaking a sweat would be better for me. You know what? It’s working . Thanks for the inspiration💞. And I’m going to join the FB group.
yay! And good for you! Boo on the hot flashes, they suck huh?