What a year, 2017 was intense and full of self-discovery, much of which was spent testing out different approaches to eating, nose in a self-help book, while working out. I kept trying to figure my life out: how to be healthier, digging deeper, defining my values, understanding my wants. After nine months hot out of the gate, my desire for self-help and self-control fizzled out. The experience, while beneficial, left me feeling depleted. By October, I was over it all. I had zero interest in getting to know myself better. I no longer wanted to restrict my diet. My body, my mind, my spirit was tired.
That left me with one simple choice, to listen to what my body was telling me. By the time fall rolled around I was in full hibernation mode. I let myself eat whatever I wanted. If I didn’t feel like working out, I didn’t. I took four weeks off from exercise. I slept in. I took naps. I ate carbs. I ate sugar. I gained some weight. This lasted for about three months.
Starting in 2018, I became sick, lost the desire to work out all together, and then the world ended….NOT. Everything was ok. My body felt ready to tackle life again. It took some time to work back up to my previous abilities. I started slow. Giving my body rest as needed. I’m feeling strong again and even setting some PR’s with my lifting (after hitting a plateau for most of 2017)! My incredibly sensitive stomach wasn’t a fan of the foods I had been eating. It was a good reminder of my “why” behind eating healthy. I lost my abs. My skin cleared up from the decrease in stress. Overall, my quality of life didn’t change. My boyfriend still thinks I’m sexy. My friends still like me. I’m still good at my job. Most importantly, my batteries are feeling recharged. My three months away from the fitness and health world didn’t change who I am and didn’t decrease my worth.
Let this serve as a reminder that taking breaks is okay and even necessary. Our fitness levels and body sizes will change throughout the seasons. This is normal. Over restricting food will only lead to depletion in self-control. Treat yo self from time to time. Maybe even daily! Skipping a workout is OK if your body is tired, sore, exhausted, or it you just don’t feel like it that day. Doing more is not always better. Having lazy days is good for the soul. You don’t need to constantly “fix” yourself.
In the season of New Year’s Resolutions, here is your reminder to be selective. Choose your focus wisely. Take care of yourself. Think about how you want to feel over what you want to achieve. Be accepting of who you are today, because you’re probably pretty great.
Cheers to 2018! Cheers to More Chill.
P.S. If you’re wondering about the title of this post. I got my eyebrows mircobladed at the end 2017. Interested in learning more? Ask me about it at thetruenorthcollectiveinfo@gmail.com!