Post Tunisia

I’ve been back from Tunisa for a couple of weeks. I did nothing whilst I was away (there wasn’t a gym so I used it as a break) but I tried to jump straight back into training and eating well upon my return.

My knee had other ideas though! I don’t know what I’ve done but I had a huge bruise one day and then it swelled and I can’t really bend it. It’s started to affect my back too- honestly it’s so tight!

I’ve had to take a few days off – it needs to heal so I don’t make it worse. So I’m trying to eat well and do other things to keep healthy – getting outside, some Pilates (Tower Pilates and lengthening your back – hello!) and I’ve booked a Cupping Session for Sunday.

I feel frustrated about this set back but it’s also given me time to really reassess how I want my training to look, my goals etc. I have a plan for the next 12 weeks with weight loss and habit forming being my goals.

One month on …

A month without a blog post. It’s been a busy month and something had to give. So what have I done since my last post?

Well I visited France, tried Eurostar for the first time (a fan) and last week I ran a half marathon.

Did I feel ready to run? No. Honestly I don’t think I’d prepared enough and I knew it would be hard but wow.

It was hotter than the weather forecast predicted and my knee, even strapped up, didn’t hold out for that long.

For the first 6/7km I thought I was going to be pleased with my time but then the knee really started to hurt. So much so that when the 10km race and half split at 8.5km I really almost turned to finish at 10km.

A very last minute switch back the the half and i limped my way up multiple hills (Birmingham is hilly) and battled cramp right at the end (same point in the race as last year) to eventually get to the end.

Whilst I was really disappointed in myself in terms of time and how I did, I finished it – even when I really didn’t want to and that in itself is a win.

This week I’ve got back to it with a couple of Bootcamps, a strength class and some gym sessions and one small attempt at a run. My knee is still a massive issue but we move.

This week’s mission? Eat less!

Control

My knee hurts. I’ve rested it, had it checked out and it looks like one of those aches that there isn’t much I can do about. I’ll need to work with it as it is.

It’s really frustrating when you want to do things and can’t because of injuries and niggles like this that just don’t seem to have an easy solution.

This is when I need to remember I can only control what I can control and what I can’t control I need to work with. I could get really annoyed about it, let it get me down, decide that it’s not worth doing anything if I can’t do things as I wanted or planned. But actually I will only upset and frustrate myself. I need to accept the things I cannot do anything about are what they are. I can plan things to work around it, different training, adjusted goals and accept there are some things that I may not be able to do.

I think I’m still going to aim to do the same events I wanted but with the knowledge it may take me longer and I may have to adjusted my ideal results from them, remembering that this will still be an achievement and pushing myself is great but I can’t change certain circumstances.

Controlling the controllable and accepting what I cannot control is something I really struggle with but am trying to get better at!

How do you react to the ‘uncontrolable’?

I’m currently injured. Well I’m not injured as such, but due to burns on both my legs (don’t ask) which basically cover both my whole shins I can’t walk very far (progress, last week I could barely walk), do much training beyond a bit of upper body work, run or teach.

It’s super frustrating. Beyond those restrictions I also can’t have a bath or shower and am restricted to contorting myself to wash my hair and sink washes. Generally it’s made me feel rubbish.

I’m used to having quite a structured day and when you can’t do what you normally do and end up sat on the sofa more watching TV, with itchy legs and generally feeling rubbish it can make you feel a bit down. As it’s come as we start to come out of the seemingly never ending Lockdown period of he last 18 months it feels even more frustrating.

All I’ve been able to do is adjust my expectations of myself.

So I’ve aimed to walk around 5,000 steps a day, just about doable at the moment but way off my normal 20,000-30,000 steps a day.

I’ve trained a couple of times, focusing on upper body and using machines I can sit down on plus the reclining bike to move the legs.

I’ve increased my protein intake dramatically to assist the burn healing process. Focusing on eating a varied diet rather than restricting my calories even though I’m moving way less.

I’ve tried to get 8 hours sleep, hard because my god my legs itch, but I’ve slept as much as possible.

I’ve drank at least 3 litres of water a day, aiming for 4 litre. My body is dehyrated anyway and it’s been warm.

I’m not where I want to be and I don’t feel great but I’ve made the positive steps I need to in order to help myself feel a bit better and not go completely crazy.

Hoping next week the dressings can come off and then I can start to build up my movement and start to get myself back to where I’d like to be but in the mean time I’ll just focus on the small things I can do as I can’ do anything about the things I can’t do right now.

Man Down!

I’ve picked up an injury. Well of sorts, I think its more over use as I have been doing a lot more running / cardio classes with gyms closed and my knee (which isn’t without issue at the best of time) and hip are feeling it.

Here’s the weird thing though. I can rest.

Do I want to rest? No. I’ve not trained since Tuesday and I’m itching, training is as mcuh something I do for my mental health as physical health.

But because I am not teaching I can rest. Under normal circumstances resting for me would be only teaching classes which would still equate to around nine hours exercise a week. Looking at it you can see why instructors struggle to get rid of persistent niggles!

There have been many negatives about gyms being closed but the one positive it has bought me is the importance of rest, and not my weird instructor concept of rest but actual proper recovery, the sort I would advise others take.

This is something I want to take with me when I’m back to training in gyms when they reopen. I’m curious if anyone else has learnt anything fitness wise they want to remember?

Injuries Suck

I’m currently injured.

I’ve done something to my knee- not really sure what, I need to go get checked out but haven’t been able to yet. Work keeps getting in the way!

A few weeks ago my knee felt tight when I squated. My quad also felt tight so I told myself I needed to stretch more.

What I did instead was continue to train and teach. As my knee got tighter ad tighter I kept teaching on it until one day I woke up and couldn’t actually bend the knee at all.

I spent a week getting cover and teaching spin classes off the bike.

I went back to teaching not really feeling 100% better.

Two spins, a Body Pump, HIIT and Body Combat later and I accepted I probably need to rest it until it’s actually better, not just a bit better.

I think we are all guilty of this some times.

Not listening to our body, thinking it will be OK if we just push through.

Often it isn’t.

This isn’t rocket science.

I currently feel quite sorry for myself, but I also haven’t helped myself because I haven’t looked after my body as well as I could have. I eat well, I train. But looking after your body goes beyond that – sometimes you have to stop.

I’m sticking to a bit of upper body to stop me going crazy (for me training is a mental release as well as a physical thing). If you see me doing anything more than this in the next few days you have my permission to tell me off!