Since I have been injured and unable to exercise - Dr.'s orders and warnings, with a stick and a mean look on his face - I have more time to contemplate life, read the books that are piled on my nightstand, write blogs, EAT, and listen to my body's aches and pains. An injury for this fitness professional is not only unnerving, aggravating, and frustrating it is also probably the best thing that could have happened to me at this moment in time. Why? The one book that I am reading - Woman, Food and God - emphasizes the importance of being in the moment. I will admit this is a sobering challenge of mine. Living in the moment? To not think about the future and to only enjoy what's happening at that given point in time? To not put a date on when I will be healed and ready to exercise again? If I was to be graded on this task, I would have to trade in my straight A's that I was known for in high school and take the D-. I am notorious for thinking about my next step and my doctor is pretty use to me asking when am I going to not be in pain. Now, I am forced to REST without knowing an estimated time for when I can squat and lunge again. Do you know how much you can think about when forced to not exercise when your greatest love of all is fitness? And then to try to just be in the moment, to look for the opportunity that is being presented, to heal my body and give it exactly what it needs to rejuvenate? Not only is my character being tested, so is my ability to remain in positive thought and to be patient. And this my friends is why this injury is a good thing. I know I am strong in body. I know that I can jump high, run fast, do 20 push ups in less than 90 seconds, hang with the best of them in class, and finish triathlons without a problem. However, now I am learning that I will not gain 100lbs in the time I need to take to rest my body and I also am getting through my thick head that just because I am injured this doesn't mean people won't train with me. Though the thought does wander through my mind a little more than occasionally.
It's my inability to take fitness one step at a time, to trust in my exercise game plan, and to not feel as if I have to push myself beyond physical capacity at every workout that is absolutely lacking and without a doubt needs improvement. Excuse my bluntness and my language, but I suck at recovery and rest! And as you all know this is one very important element of the exercise equation. So now I am forced to rest and to just be in the moment, because I did not listen to my body in the first place when it was telling me to stretch, sleep and take a day off. It's an interesting challenge I am faced with, obviously not one I would have opted for if I had a choice. And this is the beauty of the universe my friends and why it does make sense when people say, "Things always happen for a reason."
2 comments:
Maybe you should take this time to even consider writing a book because I really enjoy reading your blogs. You are such an inspiration to others. Stay strong and know that people will love to train with you even more. This experience only shows that you are human (Not that I was doubting ☺) like the rest of us.
Thank you so much Penelope! That means the world to me. Yes, putting this all away for a book in the future. What a compliment.
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