This week wasn’t a good week. This week was full of ups and downs. Full of pain and burning. This week was one where I only opened my tracking journal once. This week was more about dealing with my physical pain than focusing on my eating habits. More about lounging around, napping, and taking care of myself. Less about go, go, go and run, run, run. This week I learned that I need to slow down. I need to build up my immune system. I need to take care of myself. This week I gave myself permission not to track my food and focus instead on getting better.
It was a tough week. I didn’t work out once because when my blisters grew, I knew the worst thing I could do would be to aggravate them by sweating and pulling on them. Plus, for most of the week, it was a struggle just to walk without them burning or stinging so that was never even an option. I’m not someone who pushes through the pain and exercises anyway. It’s a struggle for me to get my butt to the gym on good days, so on bad days? Forget it. Not happening. I will say I miss exercising. I miss pumping those endorphins into my system and feeling amazed about what my body just did for me. And there were times I wondered how I would be able to survive if I had to wait weeks to exercise again. I never thought I had such a strong pull for exercising, but I guess I do!
As for my eating habits, the last thing I felt like doing was writing down every single thing I was eating. Sure, I was most definitely emotionally eating this week. But you know what? I don’t really care. It was an odd week. It wasn’t as if I had a test coming up and I was eating my emotions because of that. It wasn’t because I had a little cold, or had some rough days at work. No. I had shingles. Shingles! I’m still a little weirded out by the fact I got this virus, but I gave myself permission for the week off. I tried making healthier decisions but, for the most part, I took a chill pill from it all. Sometimes, you just have to have weeks when you emotionally eat. It’s not like I’m never going to do this again. I probably will. I’ll probably do it in the next few months. And sometimes, you just have to give yourself a break. Take a look at what’s causing you to emotionally eat and decide if it’s worth it or not. Sometimes, it is. At least in my world.
That’s not to say I’m not trying to kick this emotional eating habit. I totally am. And if this were a test, a rough day at work, or being delivered bad news – I wouldn’t give myself a break. But illness? I give myself a break when I’m ill. (And also, why does my appetite always increase when I’m sick? If I’m going to get shingles, at least suppress my appetite! Geesh!) Since I started the program close to two months ago, this is only the second time I’ve had a week like this. For me, this means I’m doing pretty well. (This used to happen every 2-3 weeks.)
All in all, not my finest week. But I have owned it and I’m looking forward to next week. On Tuesday, I woke up to discover my blisters looking tremendously better and feeling good. Yesterday was the first time since last Tuesday that I finally felt like myself again. The burning/stinging is minimal and nothing near what it was at the beginning of this. I’ve taken it super easy this past week and I think my body has calmed itself down. (Although I still think it was more of a low immune system and the stress I’m under just caused it all to come to a head.) I’m attempting to get into some light exercise today, so I’m looking for suggestions. I want something that’s not going to pull too much on the sides of my body, where my blisters are. A walk on the treadmill? The elliptical? What would you guys suggest?
Current Weight: 154.8 lbs
Net Difference: -4.4 lbs (+2.6 lbs this week)
BMI: 28.3 (+.3 this week)
I like that you allow yourself to slip up without being so harsh on yourself!!
Definitey cut yourself some slack right now. You have alot of stress and discomfort that you are dealing with. Hang in there – you'll get back on track! And while not exercising isn't ideal as you are missing out on the endorphin release, etc, it's the best thing right now since your immune system is under such stress (and it would be so painful w/ the shingles!)
I am glad you are not beating yourself up this week!
Yes, healing yourself right now has to be priority number one and I'm glad that you realized that!! I'm not sure what type of easier exercising you could do right now – maybe even just a walk around the block to ease back into things??
I wouldn't want to exercise if I was dealing with Shingles either; definitely give yourself a break. Sometimes our bodies remind us that we need to slow down and not be go/go/go all the time. I know mine does and I try to take that advice and just chill out. Does it always work? no, but it helps. I hope you're feeling better soon!
Setbacks are always discouraging, but cut yourself some slack. Healing yourself is what you need to do now so that you CAN keep working towards your goals. And you had the courage to realize you've had a tough week and to call it for what it is and resolve to get back up next week—that's awesome.
As for light exercise, I'd recommend taking a walk around the neighborhood. That way you can set your own pace and not have to be keeping up with the treadmill.
I'm sending you an e-mail in the next….oh 30-45 minutes! Keep your head up girl! You are definitely listening to your body and giving it the rest it deserves!
I don't know if this would help, but maybe try walking on the elliptical in just your socks. That might be better or worse, I don't really know. It just sounds like it would be easier on your feet. I know what you mean about emotional eating, too. I think that's what I'm doing now, but I just don't realize it's emotional. I've had both fast food and cookie dough this week, and afterwards, I felt horrible. I just wanted to stick my finger down my throat and throw it all back up – but I didn't because that's just wrong. I have to find a way to discipline myself when it comes to eating. I'm tired of always feeling like crap because of what I eat.
Giving yourself some time to heal and rest is important. I hadn't given myself enough time to rest and am paying for it now. It sucks. 🙁
Rest is so important. Have you tried Pilates? It wouldn't affect your blisters, and you can do it at home in bursts. Most importantly, keep taking it easy!
I hope that you're giving yourself permission to recoup, miss! Healing up is so important! <3
I think you need to allow yourself to slip up from time to time. We're not all perfect!
Oh gosh, when I am sick, everything falls out the window too. All I think about is feeling good at that moment and getting better. I eat what I want, don't workout and rest rest rest. I hope you feel better soon!
Sometimes the smartest decision is to know when to step back and take a break. Good for you!
I'm so happy that you took this week off to get better. Sometimes I feel like it's so easy to push ourselves so hard and assume that, even when we're sick, we should keep pushing. Hoping you feel even better very soon!