Today is the kind of day that has become more and more common over the past couple months. I have an early morning at Athleta—6 a.m. to be exact—and whereas I used to be completely bummed that I’d miss my morning workout. These days, if a 6 a.m. shift means that I take an unplanned rest day because I just don’t feel like going to the gym when I get home, well then so be it.
Last week as I walked home from work, I tried bargaining with myself.
It’s not that long of a workout.
If I go to the gym before I sit down at home, I can definitely do it.
No cardio today. Just hit the weights and get it done.
Then I realized how tired my legs really were. Which made me realize how tired my whole body was. And if I just go home, put my feet up, and rest a bit, I’d be able to hit it harder at the gym the next day. And that’s exactly what I did. I’ve said it before, but it really is a hell of an idea to actually listen to your body. Who would have thought that you own body knows what’s best for it? It’s certainly a challenge for me and I know it is for others too, but it’s something that I’m really focusing on, especially with the holiday season coming up. That said, I want to challenge you to focus on listening to your own body more. Deal? Deal.
Health
Got a Nutrition Question 2: Iron. Are You Getting Enough? – Food & Nonsense
Got a Nutrition Question 2: Iron. Are You Getting Enough? – Food & Nonsense
Three New Natural Supplements and How We Use Them – Cotter Crunch
10 Smart Tips for Eating Healthy on a Super Tight Budget – The Kitchn
I’m a Fitness Professional, but I Don’t Think Fitness Should Be Your Life – Trainer Paige
Exercising For Your Health is NOT a Joke – Slim Sanity
Fitness
Back to Basics Arm Workout – Peanut Butter Fingers
Back to Basics Arm Workout – Peanut Butter Fingers
This Exercise Can Give You Kim Kardasian’s Butt & Jessica Biel’s Abs – Lifting Revolution
No-Equipment Tabata HIIT Workout (Lower Body) – Fit Foodie Finds
5 Stretches Every Runner Should Be Doing – Jamie Walker via HuffPost Healthy Living
Med Ball Tabata Workout – Pumps & Iron
Food
Caramelized Sweet Potato and Kale Fried Wild Rice – Iowa Girl Eats
Caramelized Sweet Potato and Kale Fried Wild Rice – Iowa Girl Eats
Healthy Sticky Chocolate Fudge Cake (like, super fudgy no joke) {Gluten, Dairy + Grain Free} – Top With Cinnamon
Baklava Whole Wheat Biscotti – Yeah…immaeatthat
Carrot Noodles with Mushrooms and Sausage in a Cashew Cream Sauce – Inspiralized
Breakfast Baked Acorn Squash with Greek Yogurt, Honey & Pecans – Ambitious Kitchen
Food for Thought
How do you plan on listening to your body more?
What’s one of your favorite posts from the past week?
Barr & Table 
If only there were more people like you out there who truly listened to their body. I see both men & women ignoring all the signs of tiredness day after day. It’s just not healthy.
Thanks, friend.
I learned during pregnancy to TRULY listen to my body – like today I had on the docket a good hard HIT workout on the treadmill but I woke up with a sore throat and just BLUH so I slept 30 more mins and prayed to feel better 🙂
More sleep is always a good thing! Good for you.
Thanks for the link love, friend! 🙂
Listening to your body is SO important! Sometimes it’s hard to decide whether you’re listenign or being lazy, so I get the ‘fear’ of unplanned rest days. But when ya need ’em, ya gotta take ’em!
Happy to share!
The older I get and the more I learn about true health, the better I”m getting at truly listening to what my body needs and does best with…I think that, in a lot of ways, that’s always changing for us too, so we have to just keep on “listening” and staying tuned in to what our individual bodies need, not what other people say it should need.
I couldn’t agree more. As our day to day life changes, our body’s needs change too and listening is definitely something that comes with time.
Well well well. You know i can relate to feeling tired and run down after a long day at work. And not making it to that gym. Your challenge? ACCEPTED.
I hope you’re doing well with the challenge 🙂
That caramelized sweet potato recipe looks AMAZING! Oh and I totally agree listening to your body is always a good idea. I always feel more energized after a day off and am able to run faster and work out more efficiently when I do 🙂
Doesn’t it feel so great when you kill a workout the next day?!