one of the hardest things i’ve had to deal with in the past in listening to my body.  all the diets and exercise plans i’ve ever tried, i wasn’t listening to myself, i was listening to what the plan was telling me to do.  i believe this had a lot to do with my constant failing.  my body was asking for something and i was ignoring it, to the point where i couldn’t keep going.  learning to listen to my body and realizing what it’s asking for will be a long journey, but i know if i want to be successful at this, i’m going to have to start somewhere.

yesterday i had a bad day, all around.  i had a bad workout, didn’t feel well, and if there had been the least bit of temptation at work, i probably would have ‘cheated’.  when i got home, i made the decision that i would take today off from the gym.  my body was telling me all day that it was exhausted and needed to recover, so i listened. i upped my carb intake at dinner a little and  by 8:30 p.m., i had already taken my sleepworks and nighttime recovery and was headed off to dreamland.

(source.)

i woke up this morning feeling really good.  i didn’t down myself for skipping the gym. i got ready, put some effort into my looks, and headed off to work. on my way into work, i just felt better. i felt 20x better than i did the day before.  i wasn’t making an excuse to skip out on the gym, because i actually enjoy lifting; my body was telling me something and i listened to it. skipping the gym this morning doesn’t mean i’m allowed to binge all day. this whole situation may not seem like a lot to someone else, but it is a real accomplishment to me.

i want my body, not my mind, to control how i live my life.  if i’m hungry, i want to make sure it’s because i’m actually hungry, not just bored.  if i’m bored, i need to find something for my brain to do.  if i’m actually hungry, i’ll eat.  if i’m craving something, figure out what my body is actually craving.  instead of eating a pint of ben and jerry’s, i want to grab a handful of grapes and be satisfied.  if i’m exhausted, i want to figure out if i’ve just had a long day or if my body needs a break.  like i already said, this will take time, but i think i’m currently on the right track.

tomorrow i will be back in the gym bright and early to take on my final few days of the 24 day challenge.  i’m ready to finish this thing strong!

Q: do you find it hard to listen to your body or are you a pro?  did it take you awhile before you figured out what it was actually asking for?