Thursday, February 11, 2010

Weekly Training & Nutrition: You're trying to teach me something aren't you?

Photo taken by a very talented family member of mine
I'm sitting in my parents' house, in a small town south of the city I love. I'm taking the opportunity to be with my family, to attend a memorial service for a good woman who passed, to have my Dad 'tune up' my vehicle, and do a little 'tuning up' on my mind and body. The last weeks combined into an ironwoman type of experience. My job required a LOT of me, and when I step up my hours at work, I step up my hours on the treadmill. I was training hard, just to balance the stress that my job was placing on me- and then I burnt out. So my nutrition was less than clean, indulging in brownies one night and cookies from a friend the next. I had 2 glasses of wine over the week as well. Not worried about it, not guilty about it, not ashamed of it. Just recognizing that by pushing myself too hard I created a 'perfect storm' for unhealthy habits. Letting myself get too tired, and overtraining alongside made me crave sugar and left me with little mental power to curb cravings. Perhaps there's a lesson in there somewhere...
And onto my training- or what little training I did. I found getting out of bed hard in the morning, and literally went to bed at 3pm Monday and Tuesday and slept through the nights in almost a comatose state. I could not have trained. I did not want to train- and that was the biggest signifier that I should stay off the treadmill. When my motivation goes away, when I no longer ENJOY the workouts then I know it's not for me that time. Normally I love every bit of my training. This week I loathed the thought of the gym, and the treadmill. But I was comfortable with the yoga mat.
Sunday: OFF
Monday: 30 yoga with weights
Tuesday: OFF
Wednesday: 50 min yoga sculpt class
Thursday: 30 min cardio
Friday: 45 min cardio, 45 min power yoga
Saturday: OFF
Not a worry. One week of minor changes in my schedule are totally ok. I like living in a cushy moderate spectrum knowing that I will (and want) to get back on my regular habits when I feel like myself. These nice days in the country with my family will get me back to myself. I look forward to Sunday's workout, and Monday's hot yoga session.
How do you feel about 'taking time off' of training and your strict nutrition plan? Do you need 'breaks'? Or does your lifestyle allow for flexibility so you don't have to schedule down time?

No comments: