Achieving optimal health and fitness is all about the journey, not so much about the destination. Since commencing my own journey to achieve the best version of myself I have learnt a lot (which is why I started this blog, to share it all with you!).
When I just started working out (almost 10 years ago) I was training weights to 3 to 4 times a week. Then as I got more hooked I started training pretty much every day and sometimes even twice today. I started to become very hard on myself I would put the bar higher and higher, not seeing the results I pushed myself too far…. I over trained, over stressed my body and accumulated injuries. Now I’ve adopted a healthy, well balanced lifestyle which includes good food to nourish mind body and soul, and daily movement.
So to spare you the pain, the disappointment and the injuries here is some advice on why it is okay to sometimes skip your workout:
Listen To Your Body
The most important thing about being fit and healthy is simply moving more, sitting less and making healthier food choices that nourish and heal the body, mind and soul. It is all about a balanced and healthy lifestyle which includes physical activity such as gym, yoga or cardio workouts but most importantly a balanced healthy lifestyle is about listening to the body and taking into consideration each situation and each day as a new one.
On days where I had a very stressful time at work and not enough sleep, and I wondered why I wasn’t able to hit a new personal best on my heavy lifts. I didn’t take into account that the body was sleep deprived and stressed so didn’t put 1 and 1 together. When you stop for a moment and become mindful about what it is you are doing, and what you are trying to achieve, you will get much father in life and will be able to work out in a more efficient way.
Remember we are only humans, not robots, so tune into your body and listen. As long as you are considerate about these things and take them into account is what matters most.
Don’t Be Counter Productive
I used to be really hard on myself when I skipped a workout… I felt guilty for cheating on my training plan but I didn’t think that training too much could actually be counter productive. Putting your body through too much stress of training and not sleeping enough will actually have a negative effect and will set you back from achieving your goal. Instead of training in the gym, why not try some healthy nourishing recipes that can actually benefit your recovery?
Catch Up On Sleep
Sometimes it is okay to simply skip your work out and get some extra hours of sleep. There are days where I set the intention (and the alarm) to get up at 5AM so that I can fit my workout in before going to work. But there are times where I will wake up that early and my body will still feel tired so I decide to catch up on some extra sleep instead of heading to the gym to work out.
Sleep is crucial for building muscle mass and banishing muscle soreness. During sleep, especially phase 3 non-REM, your body naturally releases the human growth hormone (HGH). This hormone stimulates growth and cell regeneration, and aids protein synthesis. Disruption to your sleeping patterns can alter the release of HGH, as generally it is the early stages of sleep when HGH is at its highest concentration in the body and when the majority of muscle growth and repair occurs. A lack of HGH production can negatively impact your health and fitness goals as your muscles are unable to repair after a workout and you may experience muscle soreness longer.
However if you feel that you’re just getting a bit lazy and just don’t want to get out of bed, maybe it’s time to motivate yourself….
Don’t Beat Yourself Up
Don’t beat yourself up over skipping a workout every now and then. Try to not feel guilty about not doing your workout as there are other ways you can fit physical exercise into your day. Even if you work full time you should make time to go for a walk or do a few exercises in your lunch break. The hardest part is to not beat yourself up over not doing the workout, simply praise yourself for listening to your body and allowing it time to recover.
Final Thoughts
Whether you are looking to simply get fitter and healthier or whether you are an advanced gym goer, take other circumstances into consideration when you’re trying to achieve your goal. Learn to tune into your body by practicing yoga and meditation, and learn to listen to your body so that you will not over-train.
Now it’s your turn! I would love to hear your comments below on how you think about skipping your workout? Does it make you feel guilty or do you think some extra sleep may be helpful toward achieving your goal?
Follow me: @AmazonWarriorAU
You must be logged in to post a comment.