Tuesday I had a scratchy throat plus a runny nose and yesterday I was so fatigued I spent the afternoon on the couch. I can’t say I’m really really sick, but something is off. It takes a lot for me to lay on the couch and do nothing but that’s what I did. I didn’t use my computer, I didn’t watch TV, I just rested.

I’m happy to say I am feeling better today thanks to healthy snacks, vitamins and rest. Clearly I got a little bit of whatever cold Ava was fighting but at least it wasn’t anything too serious.

My plans to do Insanity Max30 have gotten pushed to the side this week. I did one of the workouts this week and that’s it. Mentally I had told myself I wasn’t going to skip any workouts but I have learned that listening to my body is more important.

I have some 30th Birthday plans this weekend and I would much rather feel 100% then do a workout and have myself get more run down.

I woke up this morning to more snow. Apparently winter doesn’t want to let up. I guess one extra snow day and another day to rest is what I need. I am still waiting to hear if the YMCA is open and if classes are on!

In case you were wondering, last night I was craving chocolate. It’s a pretty normal craving right?

Instead of grabbing some ice cream at the grocery store I decided to try a Chocolate Pudding recipe using Shakeology, Avocado, Banana, & Almond milk.

Why have I not tried this sooner?? I know the ingredients sound random but it was creamy & chocolatey. I’m all about it and I love that it has healthy fats and healthy ingredients.

It completed my night on a good note

So this post ended up being about nothing besides letting you know that I listened to my body and have rested as much as I could besides of courses having my classes to teach. Sometimes its okay to kick your feet up and rest. You can’t go 110% 24/7 it just doesn’t work!

When you start to feel run down, do you take the time to rest? 

Have you ever tried Pudding with avocado?

We got about 10 inches of snow from Sunday night to late afternoon Monday.. and this snow was not light & fluffy it was heavy & wet! I literally spent an hour shoveling and felt like I got no where! I thought I was tired but I think the snow was just kicking my butt. My legs were tired, my arms were tired, and I got cold!

Thankfully Marc did the other half (the harder side)

Last night I was thinking about a post and immediately this trainer tip came to mind:

Trainer Tip Tuesday #11: Listen to your body

I find myself listening to my body for EVERYTHING! Our bodies are SO smart. They tell us when they are hungry, tired, energized, happy, sad, stressed, anxious, sore, injured, I think you get it.

When it comes to Health & Fitness, here are some ways I listen to my body:

1. When I am sick I rest unless I have a head cold. Sometimes exercising makes me feel better but I usually will know within the first few minutes and if my body says no I stop and I will make sure to “lay on the couch!”
2. When I have an injury I rest. There’s a difference between being sore or having aches and pains that don’t go away or nag at you day in and day out. Those signals should not be ignored. Over the course of the last 4 years I have had a torn hip labrum (I had surgery) and I broke my collarbone a year ago. Those injuries side lined me for a long time. Mentally it was a huge challenge (but that is another blog post). I did however, listen to my body and of course my doctor’s orders. I immediately took the amount of time that was necessary for my body to heal.
3. I make sleep a priority. Seriously guys I turn into a pumpkin at 10pm. I get up early for work so its crucial that I am asleep right around 10 that way I can get between 7-8 hrs. When I get 5 hours I get run down and I don’t function!! Luckily I’m not one to hit snooze but the days that I feel like I need more sleep are usually the nights when I don’t get to bed on time or Ava has a surprise for us in the middle of the night. Sleep is key for health & fitness success!!!
4. If you feel pain with anything you should STOP. Yesterday I started to get some pain in my shoulder while shoveling. I immediately stopped and came inside to ice. I was so frustrated and I can’t even begin to tell you how mad I get when I feel pain. Injuries are not fun and with my job they just can’t happen so I am glad I did the right thing. You should never push through pain and if you are taking a fitness class or working with a trainer you should always let them know if something doesn’t feel right.

I use these ice packs when I need to ice my shoulder or hip, I love that they have the velcro strap it makes it so much easier to keep the ice in place!

I could go on and on about how I listen to my body when it is hungry or thirsty or when it tells me not to do something but I know you can all relate in some way or another. The point is, if you listen to your bodies cues you can successfully live a healthy & happy fit life!!

For more tips, check out the links below!

Trainer Tip #10: Take your Warm-up Seriously!

Trainer Tip #9 Keep your muscles confused

Trainer Tip #8: Make time for yourself

Trainer Tip #7: Get more out of your Group Fitness Class

Trainer Tip #6  Choose exercise that you enjoy doing

Trainer Tip #5 Quality vs Quantity

Trainer Tip #4 Lift a little heavier

Trainer Tip #3 A short workout is better then no workout

Trainer Tip #2 Exercising outdoors

Trainer Tip Tuesday #1: If you don’t like an exercise, start doing it!

What are some ways you have or have not listened to your body?

Have you ever pushed through pain and did it lead to an injury?