When Not to Work It & Avoid Injury

Last week my IT band/knee started acting up a bit. If in the past it would do this I would typically just keep on going…doing some extra stretching and icing and maybe going to the chiropractor a bit more. But I typically wouldn’t change anything in my exercise routine unless it got pretty bad. When I felt it tug this week, I had a flash back of when I had to take almost two months off from running and could barely do any moderate-intense working out. It was my own fault, of course. I didn’t listen to my body and continued to run/do lunges/push though sweaty workouts just to feel the burn.

Well, I was feeling the tightness as I carried Liv up the stairs and that’s the only reminder I needed to BACK the heck off my workouts. Guess what? It’s not only me I have to worry about if/when I get injured…it’s Liv. There is no way I cannot climb steps 2,349 times a day with her. I can’t afford to be laid up because I have a baby. It’s one thing when you can’t control an injury or sickness…but this is 100% preventable.

I know my IT band got tight because I added extra weights to my lower body Best Body Bootcamp moves. Probably that and running was just too much too soon. And I haven’t been going to the chiropractor at all. So what am I doing to not get injured? When I first felt it tighten I started to be diligent about foam rolling. I also am trying to ice once a day and take time to stretch well after every workout (I actually have been quite good at this anyway.) I also am going to (make myself) go to the chiropractor at least once this week. I’m also going to take it easy on my workouts this entire week for my lower body.

That means this weekend instead of running I did a moderate spin workout. I wanted to do something but wanted to be kind to my body and not aggravate anything further. I also won’t do as heavy lower body work on Monday and depending on how I feel I may avoid the jump work on Wednesday. The tightening started last Wednesday and I feel like 98% right now. Pretty sure with a rest day today and stretching/icing I’ll be 100% in a couple more days.

I KNOW how easy it is to just want to push through and do okay instead of healing 100% and then just inevitably get injured anyway. Taking a couple days off is NOT going to affect your overall fitness level. We get SO set on reaching goals/staying fit and healthy that we’re not always listening to our bodies and being kind. It took me having a baby and being responsible for someone else to actually 100% realize this, but I hope it doesn’t take caring for another person for you to realize. Being healthy IS listening to your body and backing off when you need to. I refuse to get injured again over something I can control…and you should too.

It’s kind of funny because we live in a society of such extremes. People who don’t work out and then people who work out obsessively. People who MUST workout 6 times a week and even some who workout everyday with NO rest days. It can become an obsession and a compulsion. And I’ve definitly been there doing an hour or cardio and then an hour of weights because well…I could. I had the time. That is a whole other post, but the point is for today, if you’re feeling sick or not right, it’s WAY more than OKAY to skip your workout. You SHOULD skip your workout. Allow yourself to heal and rest and then get back to it in a couple of days.

And that’s my friendly rant/PSA for the day.

Stay healthy, stay fit AND stay balanced.. Rest days are SO important. Honor your body and be kind to yourself.