For the past five years, working out has been a struggle for me. When I look back before I was diagnosed with celiac disease, I was incredibly active. I was training for half marathons and doing things like P90X and RushFit. I was at a good weight, and I feel I looked pretty good.
I’m still struggling to get back to that place. I realize I may never get to the exact spot again, but I want to be healthier and workout more. My mind plays tricks on me; it makes me think it will be too hard to work out when I’m tired. In reality, it makes me feel better. I have to remind myself of that more often.
Last week I had a horrible experience on the run. My dog and I were attacked by five older puppies. I had anxiety for the rest of the week and couldn’t get myself out the door. If something had happened to my dog, I couldn’t live with myself.
Sunday, I woke up and realized I was making excuses. I decided to do a strength workout. But I did it without a watch. I didn’t track it anywhere. I just did it. I pushed myself. I worked up a sweat. It felt amazing.
I had a setback Monday, but I decided to switch my rest day (Friday) with Monday. Tuesday, I did another strength workout. I intently focused on form. I attempted some higher weights but ended up switching them out for the second set. Another workout that felt amazing! I rewarded myself with a post-workout margarita for Cinco de Mayo.
This morning I got up, ate a picky bar, and then headed out for a run. Wednesdays are my speedwork day, so I did a one-mile warmup with the dog, dropped her off, and then followed my workout for the day. I hit my time goal for each repeat except for one. Someone was out with their dogs, not on leashes. They came over to me, so I stopped running and pet the dogs while waiting for the owner to collect them.
We often have times when our motivation fails us. Sometimes it’s ok to take a break. A break might be what we really need. The important part is to assess how you feel and get back on track as soon as you can. I find if we languish too long it gets harder and harder to get back on track.