As we are all still staying home to protect the health of our communities, some of us are feeling unduly tempted to overdo things, in many directions. Messages around us suggest that if we’re not lovingly creating a gourmet dinner out of whatever the heck is in the back of the cabinets or teaching our children and ourselves four languages in addition to our normal schoolwork and work or finally mastering the most difficult yoga poses, we are doing it wrong. Nope. Not at all. If we and our family remain alive during this time, we win. The stress we are all feeling does not need to be augmented by induced feelings of failure.
Some of us find that exercise helps us cope with stress. We may be tempted to work out really hard for lots of hours every single day. This is not good for us. When we lift weights or do weight training exercises with our body weight, we need to take a rest day between workouts to allow the muscles to recover. We don’t get stronger while we are lifting weights, but in the recovery period after we are done—that’s what that soreness is about, rebuilding stronger.
We can do cardio every day, but we should make a point of making some days easier than others. (If, say, we are doing weight workouts three times a week, we can do light cardio on weight days.)
It is also entirely all right to have some days when we do no exercise at all. In stressful times, we often need more rest than usual. The workouts will be there when we are ready.
If you need help figuring out what to do, or how much, or how many, text or call or email me. I’m here to help.
No comments:
Post a Comment