It’s Monday! Hooray!
(said no one ever.)
I’ve got a busy one ahead! 3 clients, 2 classes and a mini-vacation to start packing for! You read that right – a mini-vacation!!
After my 4:30 step class, Katy, the kids and I will be traveling toVirginia! We’re touring Polyface farms tomorrow morning.
If I had short overalls, I’d wear them.
Fortunately, Clara DOES so that’s what she’ll be rocking. Go here to read more about Polyface. I promise a full recap of the experience when we get back! Then we’re heading into Charlottesville on Tuesday night for a fancy VA blogger’s dinner, staying the night, then heading back Wednesday afternoon.
Short and sweet road trip. With two toddlers. Hooray!!
(said no one ever.)
————-
Many of you have asked about my heel, so I thought I’d update you on that.
Foot update: The cortisone shot (for my plantar fasciitis) worked. I can’t *really* feel any pain. I say really because I do feel something when I walk on it a certain way, but it’s not nearly as bad and only when I roll to the left side of my heel.
As you know, a cortisone shot simply masks the problem and is not a fix.
REST is a fix (or a HUGE help). And I’m trying my hardest to do just that. Aside from teaching two step classes last Monday (which couldn’t really be avoided), I’ve been in the pool or done low impact activities for the rest of my exercise. Which means the fitmixer Bootcamp has been put on hold for a little while, which I’m ok with. (If anyone is thinking about signing up for the next Bootcamp – which starts in September – go here!)
Taking a *rest* from my typical high intensity mentality has given me PLENTY of time to think.
My Fitness Truths:
1. I LOVE MOVEMENT.
Like LOVE LOVE.
I always have.
And I’m noticing that this love has nothing to do with burning calories (although that is a great side bonus).
My body likes to move.
To walk. To jump. To dance and sprint and DO.
I’m thankful that God has blessed me with good health. My PF will heal and I’ll be back at it. I’m just so thankful that my injury isn’t anything more than that – an injury.
My body was made for movement. As all bodies are.
2. I EXERCISE FOR MY PHYSICAL HEALTH.
I go to the gym and squat 145 pounds so that I can be functional OUTSIDE of the gym!
Deadlift – 5X5 – 135#
I flip tires, not because I’m training to be better at flipping tires, but because I want to be able to play countless games of leapfrog with Henry and Clara.
I go to the gym so that I can stay out of the doctors office.
I work out because I want to be my best physically. The best mom, the hottest wife and an encouraging trainer.
3. I EXERCISE FOR MY MENTAL HEALTH.
The high I get from sweating is like no other drug I’ve found.
After I had Henry, I had post-partum depression (a future post). My daily walks helped TREMENDOUSLY in battling it. Just moving (with little Henry attached to my chest) made all the difference in how I felt about myself and how I was able to take on this new (very challenging) role.
I work out because I want to be my best mentally. To be a more patient mother, a wife who doesn’t frustrate her husband, and again, an encouraging trainer!
4. SEEING OTHERS SWEAT INSPIRES ME.
During these last days of rest, I’ve been watching you all sweat (on Instagram or your blogs).
I thought this would make me sad.
On the contrary, I’ve been inspired! To try new things and workouts. To push my body in a new way that will not promote injury.
Thank you! This community inspires me!
5. I WANT TO HEAL SO I CAN BE MY BEST.
I can’t half ass this healing process. I’m trying my hardest to find subs for my classes (this isn’t easy – with summer vacations and the lack of step instructors).
I don’t want to look back 20 years from now and wish that I’d taken more time off for my foot.
I need to heal, so that I can be fully recovered. Full recovery = Adventure races, new PDRs, and who knows what else.
These are my truths.
I love fitness.
Always have, always will.
QUESTION: What are some of your “fitness truths”? Do you enjoy exercising or just do it for the calorie burn?
splendid…lindsay
Ouch–I’ve had a cortisone shot in my ankle–the most painful thing I’ve ever experienced!
My fitness truths are a lot like yours. I did it to lose 100 pounds and once I got there I realized the great benefits of fitness. I do it for health, I do it for happiness, I do it so I never go back to my old, obese self!
Man, I wish I could have gone to Polyface Farms with you guys! This week was just too crazy to drive back down that way.
I LOVE you and your fitness truths- and just relate to you so much. I was out at dinner the other night with a friend who was telling me that occasionally she smokes a little pot to relieve stress. I told her that (yes it sounds cheesy but it’s true) exercise is my drug. It makes me feel better than anything I could “take” to feel good. I exercise because I want to – and because I have to for my own sanity. And yeah- it helps that I get paid to do it, too- but I would even if I didn’t! :)
LOVE this! I’m so happy you are taking the time to rest and heal, before you know it you will be back to exercising and loving it all the same. I just posted a sort of similar thing on Friday and completely 100% agree with all the reasons you workout for are the reasons I do as well. Sometimes I still catch myself thinking about the burn, but then realize all the benefits exercise gives me and the calorie burn is not one of them.
Enjoy your time at Polyface! It should be a blast. I’m still so amazed at how incredibly strong and fit you are…I want to get to that point!
I love this Lindsay!! I have found that I love to move. The past few months I have been doing very low impact workouts, and I have found that I love to sweat. I love to make my body strong and to be active. It isn’t about the calorie burn… it’s my therapy! :)
What a great list! I workout so I can set a positive example for Emmie and be around for a very long time enjoying her. Also, cortisone shots are no fun … I have had 3 in my shoulder.
LOVE this Linds! And I hope you have an amazing mini-vacay :D. I used to workout purely for the calorie burn and once I started to embrace it and do things that I liked, I’ve now come to love it!
you we will be healed in no time! enjoy the down time while you can.
we are both are cutting way back on our workouts, for different reasons than you, it was hard at first. but now we are understanding our bodies need to heal. and that is more important.
HUGS!
Over the past few years I have grown to LOVE exercise. I need it to get through my day both mentally and physically. Thankfully, I already had this passion in me when I was diagnosed a few months ago with MS, because one of the best things for MS is to be active and move your body. Move it or lose it is now my motto!
You and that last shot with the stroller and the sun….oh it makes my soul miss you so much!!
If I never see the needle-in-the-foot photo again, that would be fine by me.
lol..deal.
my fitness truths would be that sometimes i try to do too much all at once haha i know i want to lift weights and do cardio and run to the moon and blah blah blah – i think doing too much probably is hindering a good amount of progress! WHY do we always do things we know we shouldn’t…
btw i’m stealing your healthy survey or “borrowing” and not returning it ;)
I love how positive you are!!! I hope you start feeling better soon! Have fun on your mini vacay!! :)
you’re always so positive too!! i love that about you! (and robin & candice!)
I usually love fitness, although this year I haven’t been as in love with it as I usually am. But I think with almost anything it comes and goes, so I’ll keep pushing until it comes back. Doing an ironman again next year will either be a good or a bad thing, we’ll see! :)
Have fun on your mini trip, Lindsay :)
My body loves to move SO much more than stay still, too. I could feel like I’m getting sick/tired/blah – and then move – whether going for a leisurely walk or a hardcore weight session, and I feel better.
Go, girl, go! I exercise because everyday it’s still a challenge…and I like challenges =)
First I must say how dang JEALOUS I am that you get to go to Polyface Farms.. I LOVE Joel Salatin.. If everyone used his farming method we’d be a much happier, healthier planet!! I need to get his book. Another thing… I just love your children’s names! I’m so tired of seeing all these kids named after fruits and veggies.. I mean I love fruits and veggies as much as the next gal but come on.. “I wanna be named carrot”.. said NO ONE EVER!!!!!
My Fitness Truths…
1. I LOVE moving too. Working out helps me fight my depression, makes me feel sexy, strong, and confident. When I’m having an “I feel like a fatty” day.. I can leave the gym feeling so much better. I know that I just didn’t lose 10 lbs but the mental health I feel is AWESOME!!!
2. I workout STRICTLY for ME!! at my heaviest of 176lb I would complain to my husband and he NEVER once EVER said “your right you need to lose weight” he ALWAYS said “I love you for you” I think it’s so much easier to do it for you no matter if it’s losing weight, quitting smoking, or drinking. Whatever, it’s got to be for you!
3. I see my mom laying in bed dying from a slew of things… but her smokers emphysema.. is why she cannot breath like god intended her to. she has less than 40% lung capacity and recently has been falling asleep at the drop of a hat.. come to find out her lungs are not releasing the carbon dioxide as they should. This is another reason why I workout and want to live a healthy life. It pains me to see the things she’s done to herself! She just turned 66.
4. Fitness has changed my life in so many ways and that’s why I’m studying to get my Trainers Cert. I want every one to feel that endorphin rush after a workout and to go about their day feeling beautiful!
I love your Blog Lindsay! It always makes me smile :)
I love this post and your truths. For me too, I love to move and my body needs to move but it’s all about helping me be able to jump, leap, run, skip, etc. with my kids and be a good mom and wife. It’s about my mental health. It didn’t always used to be this way. When I started out, it was definitely more about calories burned and losing weight, etc. but I’ve come to realize it so much more than that and that’s what I treasure.
My truth:
Working out is like a shot of energy to my body. I always feel I can accomplish anything and want to talk to and hang with everyone I see. I have to hold myself back from shouting, “Smoothies for everyone!!” at the smoothie bar after a great workout. :)
Love your truths and love your words! Enjoy your fun packed next couple of days!
Ahh I love what I’ve learned about Polyface Farms, and adore hearing form Joel Salatin. That guy knows his stuff. Can’t wait to read your recap !!!
You know what I love? You! And this post.
I’m so tired of my friends thinking that I’m still struggling with my eating disorder because I have plans to go to the gym or go for a run and don’t accept last-minute offers to get dinner or whatever. My routine is my routine and I do it because if I don’t, I can’t do the things I love — like picking up and running 8-10 miles on a random weekend. I miss that!
And yes, I think we both know that EDs are always going to be an issue, but it’s not an issue I deal with daily anymore and probably not even monthly anymore. I can’t remember the last time I actually had a freakout. Okay. I do — it would be 2-3 months ago when I accidentally ate an entire pint of way-to-rich ice cream. It wasn’t about the calories. It was because I felt like CRAP.
Anyway. LONG comment. Sometimes your posts just hit me at home!
AMEN linds! i touched on this a bit today in my post as well. i’ve realized in the past 3.5 months of having to slow down and put my high intensity exercise on hold how much i just LOVE fitness and exercise. i used to wonder if i did it for vanity reasons and/or for that endorphin “high”, and even though those are motivators, they aren’t my primary reasons. i truly just love to move and be fit!
I’m fairly new on the exercise for the love of it train. It used to be about burning calories and now I can honestly say that it’s for the way I feel- strong, energetic, happy. I really think it changed for me during pregnancy, when I knew I wasn’t going to be losing weight, but I was exercising for such a greater cause- Hailey’s (and my) health!
I can relate to so many of your reasons! And I’m finding myself thinking about this too, as I nurture my sore shin. It’s hard not to do what you’re usually able to do, but like you, I know it will heal, and I’m thankful to be as active as I am most of the time. Wishing you a speedy recovery, and a smooth trip with toddlers!! :)
just found your blog today…love it! I have always been active, but didn’t like working out…it seemed like a chore I needed to fit into my day…so I just didn’t do it! As I’ve gotten into my 30’s and had a baby, I’ve realized that I WAS DOING THE WRONG EXERCISING. I don’t like running…so why did I do it? I don’t like treadmills…so why was I on them? I’ve discovered yoga and pilates, and have gotten into martial arts…and just WALKING with my babe in the stroller. I’ve discovered if I’m doing something I love, it doesn’t feel like WORKing out. It’s changed my life, and I hope to show my little girl that being healthy doesn’t need to feel like work.
Great post! Bummed I won’t be able to meet you & attend the blogger dinner tomorrow night. – it’s my husband’s birthday :) Hopefully next time though!
In the very beginning of my fitness journey, all I did was run, and my main goal was to burn the calories. I needed to burn the calories so that I could eat more, but in actually that didn’t happen. Although I told myself that I must gain the weight, I lost my battle with numbers. However, with the help of God, family and friends, I was able to break free from my disordered eating. I gradually grew to LOVE strength training! It’s so empowering to be able to do regular push-ups, hold my planks for what seems like eternity, and just begin able to walk around with my head up high thinking..yea…I’m strong, baby!
Then, after being diagnosed with Hypothalamic Amenorrhea, which I found out recently, I have dedicated myself to engaging in low-intensity workouts. I really hope to me a mom in the near future, so I’m going to do all that I can to recover my body. I’m staying away from the gym bc your third point is too powerful of a trigger! Seeing others sweating like a pig makes me want to do the same, and before I know it, my intentions of taking it easy is completely thrown out the window.
Such a great post!!!! I actually love exercise! I love the way it makes me feel and totally starts my day in the right way! I like how it is one of the few things that makes me feel proud and strong. There is nothing better than hitting a PR in a workout or lift! I love the goal setting involved in it and working towards your goals! I love exercise..especially CrossFit!
I am so glad the rest time is paying off. I know that’s tough.
LOVE all of your truths, and I agree with them all. Working out makes me feel strong and more confident. My ego and i both like that feeling. :)
I’m finding more and more that there are certain fitness activities that I love, and others I probably do just because I’m supposed to. For example, I’m really not a fan of lifting weights, but I do it because I know it’s good for me. But when I can get to a Total Body class that uses weights but isn’t as boring (in my opinion), that’s a much better option for me! I’ve also been loving cardio kickboxing and spin classes recently!
I’m glad you’re taking resting so well! I know it can’t be easy, I had to take a week off of running because of PF in March and I almost cried seeing everyone run along the lakefront on Saturday morning as I drove past… But it was worth it, you just have to remember that it will pay off in the long run!
my truths?
WEIGHT TRAINING GAVE ME MY VOICE. In and out of the weight room.
I do cardio for others :)
for my child so I live long. for my husband so he’s not a single parent.
I haaate cardio.