The Secret No One Talks About…

Let me preface this by saying, I am not a fitness trainer. I am not a health guru. Not a doctor. Not a physiotherapist. I am just a certified life coach and entrepreneur, and what I am saying today holds no scientific weight, nor any weight at all, you might say. It’s merely based on my personal experience and perception.

But I do, however, think I’m onto something.

In December, I hurt my back. My lower back had been aggravated for a few weeks, and then one Saturday morning, I leaned over to kiss the boys, and literally couldn’t get back up. I was in AGONY. I have never had an injury in all my years of working out (and that’s many). If you ask Louse Hay, she would say lower back pain is about ‘security,’ — financial and other. I am somewhat in a career transition you could say – I started a new business in November as you know, HADRY.co, and am pouring a lot of energy into that. I am out of my comfort zone, and balancing motherhood, puberty hormones (wow, that’s intense), and career. You know, just like most of you fabulous women out there.

But for the sake of this post, here is where I’m going with all of this…

I couldn’t move for the first few days in December, and then slowly got back into the groove of actually walking upright and feeling a little better. I didn’t work out for a good month to six weeks. I walked a little bit after three weeks, and did some gentle stretching and some breast stroke in the pool.

Point being, I went from hard core worker outer and pusher, to lifting no weights, no spin, no running, only gentle, quiet, movements.

And you know what happened?

I actually lost weight. I felt better than ever. I was less hungry, and my body felt good. All the years of working out hard, when I was FORCED to bring it all down due to injury, instead of feeling like crap from not being able to do my usual stuff, I felt incredible!

I realized that when I worked out hard, I was definitely in shape, but I was always FAMISHED (hard workouts make for a hungry gal), and I would even feel tired at times. For the past two months, I have returned to all my activities (thankfully), but I lift super light weights, I don’t go quickly on the bike, I move slowly, I focus on all the gentle movements, I stretch, and my body feels wonderful. I feel less hungry, less tired, and actually in better shape.

So where am I going with all this?

In a world where we see people trying to stay super fit, go hard, this ‘no pain no gain’ attitude, I have found a quiet way to feel good. And not on purpose, believe me. I can’t explain it, but I feel there is something powerful to be said for this ‘life in moderation’ thing – even with our health. I now think the answer to EVERYTHING is moderation. I feel like my injury was my sign to MODERATE my headspace about work, my food, my working out, even parenting and wifedom.

I’m trying to go neither too far to the right, or too far to the left. The answer isn’t to be idle and do nothing (I know that), but I don’t think it’s to be insane and crazy aggressive or hardcore either.

I think wellness lies in the obvious place… moderation. In balance. Not too hard, not too soft. Just right. You know, kinda like the porridge in Goldilocks and the Three Bears – not too hot, not too cold, just right!

But back to health, and why I wrote this blog post… I think I am onto something, because it kind of feels like, when we fight less, we get more.

Does this make sense? Am I crazy? 

Happy Friday!

Signed,

Maybe I Don’t Make Sense Lady.