This week, I just really wasn’t feeling it. After a busy couple of months, I think I hit a wall. I was flat and deflated, tired and lack luster. There was no particular reason for, what I can only describe as general malaise. I went through the week feeling like I was just dragging. I didn’t want to train, I didn’t want to eat healthy, I didn’t want to do much of anything. I felt like a 5 year old, throwing a tantrum because I was being forced to do something against my will.
So, what were my options? I could either throw my toys out of the pram and abandon my routine entirely. Or I could take myself in hand and go through the motions, regardless of whether I felt like it or not. In these periods it can be hard to know what to do for the best. There are times when we really do run ourselves down, and a break can be needed. But equally, there are times when nothing is wrong with us, and we just don’t feel like playing. Gaining an understanding of what your body, and mind, needs takes experience.
Last week, for me, was a little bit of both. I was genuinely tired. I hadn’t been sleeping well and everything suffered as a result. However, there was also an element of laziness at play. Times like these are tough on me, because I get really in my head about it. If I start missing workouts, or not eating as I should, my inner critic is always sure to pipe up. Taking a “rest” often does me more harm than good, I feel guilty and uneasy about it. I have learned though the years, that the best thing for me to do in these circumstances is to fake it.
It is one of those things that is simple, but not easy. It sounds very simple to just keep putting one foot in front of the other. It sounds perfectly straight forward to just keep doing what you know you should. But really, when your energy is low and your motivation has abandoned you, it is nothing like easy! It’s important to remember that it’s not always going to be easy. You are not always going to feel amazing. Some days the bars will feel heavy and your healthy food will seem unsatisfying. But more important to remember, is that this is alright. It is okay to not feel okay.
When I don’t feel okay, I resist the urge to dive into bed and pull the duvet over my head. I put a smile on my face, pull on my big girl panties and handle it. This facade is as much for me as it is for anyone else. Just knowing that I have stuck to my routine as closely as possible, can make coming out the other side of my funk happen a lot faster. By eating crap and not exercising, I will only make myself feel worse. The depressed feelings feed into themselves and before long I would have completely derailed myself.
Don’t get me wrong, I did not have the best week ever in the gym. In fact, I only trained twice and went for a handful of walks. I didn’t have the best week of eating either. After doing my food prep last Sunday, I ended up ordering Chinese food, because my energy and resolve were depleted. However, had I not dragged myself through the motions, my week could have ended up being a lot worse than it was. I remind myself that absolute perfection is not only unattainable, it is unnecessary.
Your mood and energy levels are not ever going to be linear. There will be ups and downs. The down days serve to help us appreciate the up days. After having a shitty week, I did the only thing I could. I cleared my calendar, and put the emphasis on rest. As I write this on Sunday afternoon, I feel very much recharged. My fridge is full of healthy food and my gym clothes are ready to go. I have come out the other side and by faking it, I feel like I have mitigated the damage somewhat. In the grand scheme of things, a few off days are not going to have a material impact on my overall results. However, if I had taken to bed and let the depression really take hold, it could have been an entirely different story.
So, here’s hoping this week will be better. Be good to yourself and remember to embrace the power of Faking xxx
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