Listen to your body

The body has a voice and during these last two weeks I learned a valuable lesson in listening to it.

Sometimes, when I’m feeling a bit off physically, a dose of exercise gets my endorphins flowing and can put me right back on top of my game. A steady jog can cure a spell of sluggishness and a calming yoga session can melt stress and body aches.

But there are times when what the body really needs are rest and TLC, and last week I blatantly ignored my body's request for them. I tuned out my exhaustion, weakness, sore throat and sniffles and hit the gym anyway. While I did skip spin class and other intense cardio, I continued to push it with the weights, going for new personal bests. Needless to say, I paid for my negligence dearly. The price? One missed workday and several missed workouts – five to be precise.

So the lesson I learned is this: Tune into my body and listen to what it’s telling me. Determine whether what I’m feeling is really just a bout of sluggishness that can be cured with a workout, or if what I really need is to curl up on the couch with my cat, a cup of tea and a Say Yes to the Dress marathon. And when in doubt, always take a day off from the gym and don't hesitate to see my MD. After all, skipping one workout in order to recharge could mean I’m back at it the next day instead of having to sit out for an entire week.

I’ve wised up. And now that my health is almost fully restored, I’m easing back into my fitness routine instead of surrendering to the urge to make up for lost time by working twice as hard. I started back in the gym this week by working out my full body using light weight, rather than targeting one muscle group per day like I normally would. I found the perfect workout to use as my guide on page 48 of our current issue of Fat Loss. I completed the circuit of compound moves once during my first session, then twice the next time. I also threw in 10 minutes of moderate cardio on the bike and a set of my favorite compound move, plié squat with a lateral raise, holding eight-pound dumbbells.

I definitely recommend this workout not only because you can customize it to suit your needs as I did, but also because it’s perfect if you’re pressed for time as it can be done at home before you fly out the door.

What about you? Do you find it hard to miss workouts when you’re under the weather? Or do you welcome the opportunity to rest, guilt free?