MY PERSONAL FITNESS JOURNEY
Exercise is a huge deal in my life. Twice now I have not been able to do it. First time, injury from dancing - very long rest and rehabilitation. Second time, last year…. meningitis. So twice now I have learnt that exercise has a greater meaning in my life and that my body is also trying to tell me something. I am an 'all in kind of girl', sometimes I over do it and believe me, it is easy to overdo exercise, especially if you do it for the wrong reasons.
I turned 26 years old on Monday and finally I feel like I am starting to learn somethings, finally. One of which is to stop pushing your body and also respect your body, you only have one, and one chance to use it to its full potential Pushing your body to the limits is never a good idea. I am the at worst and 'starting slowly' or 'easing myself into it'. So this year I am making a massive effort to get exercise right/consistent in my life (few slip ups, but it is only February OK. Felt a bit ill this morning and should not have gone for a jog, very silly but lesson learnt/learning).
I invested in an incredible pair of Adidas Boost trainers a few months ago - after spending months researching, trying on every shoe in the store and driving everyone insane around me.
The next investment? A heart rate monitor - one that connects to Discovery Health and tracks all your fitness info, it works as a personal trainer and my own motivator. Having the ability to track your health is a major advantage, it also tells the TIME so I at least purchased a watch that does that and so much more. It has a purpose and its purple and I am in love with it. It even sends me messages when I haven't exercised. Naughty. But I don't let it rule my life, because now I understand you can feel motivated by others but you can't push yourself to be on the same level as others in terms of fitness. It is what works for you. Be inspired, not forced or scared.
My mom has had the same Polar heart rate monitor for over 10 years, using it got me super inspired. In mid December I started exercising again by doing short walks with my mom, then upping it to a weekly Friday morning 6km walk with my friend, a few very, very mild gym sessions, and I am hoping as of Monday to go back to Yoga, which is a massive incentive to not mess around with my health. Yoga is neural based, as is meningitis. Super excited but also nervous because I know I really need to take it slow.
I have introduced light jogging, by light jogging I mean walking and then jogging a VERY light pace and then walking. I am a gym and yoga girl through and through, but I must admit I am enjoying this walking thing, it is super healing and helps my mind. I have to still be careful, my injury flares up sometimes and I can feel I am still very weak from meningitis. I still do stupid things and push a little much sometimes, but I am learning. Most of all learning that exercise is about routine and how to make YOU time! Holistically it is the thing that picks up your mood and makes you feel more alive. I have goals I want to achieve them, but I am also aware that life is real, life is busy and I won't always get time to exercise, but when I do I will appreciate every second of it.
I don't want to use exercise to lose weight anymore, (obviously a bonus if I do, lets not pretend) but I want to feel healthy, strong, toned, sexy, centred, complete in my yoga, calm on my walks and excited to get into my work-out kit. Since December I am improving and building on my fitness levels, but I still need to stay focused on my overall health. I want to have long term exercise plans that make me feel alive and grateful to have a healthy, working body.
(photo - Stella McCartney Adidas 2013 run)
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