Sabotage

Today's run: iPhone couch to 5K app - 5 minute warm up walk followed by three rounds of run 90 sec, walk 90 sec, run 90 sec, walk 2 min - then a 5 min walk cool down - still coping fine. Sure I break a sweat, but finishing ok so far. Except...



Oops I did it again!! Sabotaged myself right as I was beginning a new program. I'm not referring to the mental roadblocks I talked about last time, but to the actual physical things that we do (or neglect to do) that hinder our success. My infraction in this instance was staying up too late last night, so I was exhausted this morning. I still ran (if you can really call the walk/jog thing I'm doing currently running?) but I had to go slower and dragged a bit mentally too. This is a good reminder to myself early on in this new journey that fitness and weight loss does not occur in a vacuum. It's very important that it be part of a more complete lifestyle change for maximum results.

What are some of the common types of fitness sabotage?

- Not getting enough sleep, water, nutrients and calories. We can't very well expect our bodies to perform at optimum energy level if we don't feed and care for them as we should, now can we?

- Wearing improper clothing - Let's face it - chafing is no fun. Nor is being too hot or too cold or getting blisters and sore feet from shoes that are the wrong size. It's worth the investment to be sure you are outfitted with comfortable and appropriate attire.

- Lazy bones - If we sit around and do nothing in between our runs, it's pretty tough to get moving again on command. It's best to maintain an active lifestyle, as much as possible, even when you aren't technically working out.  

-Alcohol and cigarettes - This goes without saying but if we abuse our bodies by overdoing these substances they will fight back and burn out on us when we need them most. (and yes this goes for drugs too - duh!)

-Stress - Mental anxiety can have a real and dramatic effect on our physical state as well. The body and mind are connected. The good news is that exercise is a powerful key in fighting depression. So keep at it!

- Medical neglect - Ignoring symptoms and hoping they'll go away? Forgetting to take your medicine? These are no-no's. Before ramping up to any new fitness goal, see your doctor and determine if you have any physical issues that need to be addressed first. This could make all the difference in overall health and wellness, and help you avoid injury. Don't skip this step.

-Too much too soon - Rome wasn't built in a day, and a marathon cannot be run in one either. Taking on too much too fast can make you so overwhelmed and sore that you'll want to quit. Far better to move slow and steady. Baby steps! It's not a race...well...not until race day at least!

We'll talk more about many of these as time goes on! For today though I hope I learned my lesson well...SLEEP isn't optional!! An important way to prepare for the morning's run is to head to bed early the night before!!