Yesterday I finally arrived in Bristol, Vermont for the kick off of my Phoenix RIsing Yoga Therapy training marathon albeit a day late and weary after 13 hours of travel, a hyper-extended back that I had hurt that morning and an unexpected night in Burlington after arriving into a deserted airport at 2 AM! Somehow the biggest travel problems I’ve ever run into have been in getting here! Coincidence perhaps? Doubt it. Just divine timing!
I was thrilled to arrive into the warm embrace (even with the freezing Vermont winter temperatures) of the staff at PRYT as well as the family that I am staying with. Oddly enough all of the stress that I had been feeling was gone, even prior to the hours of arrival when I was enmeshed in difficult travel. My body and mind were happy to be in motion to be here! Especially when I am greeted by these creatures:
I am amazed ts how much of my mental chatter is already gone and I am feeling able to hold space yet again. However one of the samskaras that I am struggling the most with is that little devil on my shoulder, you know that one dressed in tight short shorts, a tank top, tall socks, and sweat band.
Yes, Richard Simmons, also known as the Workout Devil. He wants to know when I am next going to hit up the gym and why I haven’t yet. Admittedly the whole not working out thing is one of the hardest things for me in being away from home. When I was here in October it wasn’t quite as bad since I was only here for 1-week, but 16 days? Yikes. During that time I did do yoga and walked a mile to and from where I was staying, but that doesn’t count in my mind. Weights and sweat is what me or ED wants. I’m still not sure which is which at times in that vein.
So what to do. I need some input here and am asking you, my awesome readers to help out. Bristol does have a gym that I could join for a week at a time and while I would have the time to do this after my training and could maybe rationalize going 3 or so days for each of the two weeks, I wonder if I really should. Maybe I should give my body two weeks off and see what happens. I haven’t taken that long “off” since ED treatment! Speaking out of the other side of my mouth I will be walking and I will be doing yoga when my back is feeling better. Oh that’s right. That hyper-extended back I got when I was getting ready to leave for Vermont? That’s what I get for too much working out in the time leading up to now, even though it wasn’t preemptive!
So yes or no? Join the gym or step into truth? Please give me your opinion in the comments! (FYI ED is telling me that you will all say that I shouldn’t work out just so you can laugh at me getting fat…as I said, raw, real truth here!)
Photo Credits: Hannah Siegle, trliax.com
Hell to the no! Challenge yourself: are you strong enough to NOT work out fr 16 days? ED doesn’t think so. He thinks you will need to break down and “rationalize going 3 or so days for each of the two weeks.” Eff ED.
This is a new project: like the Real Body Project. Blog your truth about what it’s like to not work out. Give readers some insight into the emotional and mental back-and-forth that you go through. I think you would also be speaking the truth of thousands of other people suffering from eating disorders, who are trying to get better but are still struggling with those same thoughts. This has the potential to be something really special!
Amen to the Alexis! I will step into your wise words and your potential!
Hi Hannah,
Several years ago, I pulled my IT band and the soreness still comes back from time to time, if I push my body more than I should and fail to give it any rest. In November, it started aching again and I had to take a full week off from running. It drove me crazy, but when I started running again, I was beating my best times without really trying. Our bodies simply need rest sometimes. Good luck with YTT!
Thanks Sarah. Rest it is!!
While I hate to give ED any predictive credit, I am OF COURSE saying no to the gym. Live like a healthy, free, generous person for 16 days and watch the glow that appears on you, in you, and is reflected on others.
I will seek that glow then!
Skip the gym. Level 2 days are 11 hours long and it looks like some of the Level 3 days go for 14 hours.
Richard is my little devil too!!! On the other side, my angel is my mom, telling me that if I’m sick or hurt, I have to rest. In fact, I have to rest one day past feeling better just for good measure. I am currently in physical therapy for a badly damaged hamstring. When the physical therapist asked me to stop all working out, I panicked. I actually called my doctor and got permission to ignore that order in favor of my sanity, and she agreed that I need to do something, as long as it doesn’t hurt my leg. So, Richard kind of won that round, but I did listen to Mom somewhat and scaled back for two weeks. I am healing, and keeping flexibility and my sanity with continuing my workouts. I agree with all of the above comments, and also think that rest will strengthen you. It will be an active rest, with the walking and yoga, which is what’s recommended for injuries. Not only does your life demand the break, but science does too. ED doesn’t get a vote.
Jenny, thank you! It sounds like you all are my angels!!
Hannah,
we, your peers, love you for WHO YOU ARE, unlike your vicious ED, who only cares about what you look like in his distorted eyes. We want you to not go to the gym to prove to yourself that you can not overexercise and SURVIVE. We want you to not go to the gym because you don’t need to, and because a normal person would see that you are going to be walking and doing yoga (both exercise, by the way) and that your mind is already going to be working overtime learning and absorbing new knowledge, and therefore your body will NEED more rest.
We, your readers and peers, will love you the same as before you left. We want YOU to love you the same (or more!) too. Nothing bad will happen. We promise.
<3
Thanks so much Kate! Reading this helps to affirm what I know I need. Much love for your input!
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