Four Options If You’re Not Up For Working Out On Any Given Day
It is a very common diet culture behavior to ignore how you feel when it comes to movement. There is often so much pressure to "never miss a day" that many people workout despite feeling run down, sick, or overly sore.
And when it comes to practicing intuitive, joyful movement, it can take practice to discern how your body feels and what your motivations are for engaging with movement.
It you're not sure if you should engage in intentional movement/workout/exercise on a particular day, here are some possible options that can help you listen to your body:
Delay - One option is to wait a couple of hours and see if your energy and how you feel improves. During the "wait and see" period, you can take some small steps to care for your body and your needs - hydrate, fuel, take a nap, etc.
Update - Another option is to change something about what you originally may have planned. This can include lowering the intensity, duration, load, and volume (total amount reps). You can also change the movements, the format, or workout type. For example, instead of a strength-based workout, you can take a walk or do some yoga.
Explore - A third option is to set a timer for 5-10 minutes. During that time, you can begin your movement routine and when the timer goes off, you can take a moment to assess whether you feel the same, worse, or have started to feel better. You can then make a choice from there about whether or not you want to continue.
Rest - A fourth option is to rest. This can be really hard to practice. Resting can be very helpful in regulating your nervous system, allowing your muscles to recover, avoiding burnout, etc.
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It can be helpful to have a coach guide you through the process of learning to listen to your body. You can schedule a free discovery call to learn more about the different ways we can work together.
