Happy Friday everyone! I hope you had a great week!
Time for some honesty here. I have done 2 of my 5 workouts so far this week. I’m going to get my 3rd one in later this morning, but I wanted to share with you first. Firstly, I am SORE. Like, I haven’t been this sore in FOREVER. Monday was Leg Day, and today Friday, I’m finally only minimally sore going up and down the stairs. I don’t feel like I did anything crazy as far as the workout went, and weights were very light, but it was work. More work than it should have been. Sure, I’ve slacked on my workouts since I ran my half marathon, but being this sore is not the norm.
Why do I think I’m this sore? As much as I hate to admit it, it could be my fibromyalgia. We’ve had a cold spell the last couple of days–and when I was younger and really struggling with the fibromyalgia, I could always predict a weather change. I’ve also been SUPER TIGHT lately. Like, just sitting with my legs straight out in front of me is a stretch. I need to do at least a few Sun Salutations daily, if not do my favorite BOD Yoga Studio yoga practice “Yoga for Weekend Warriors.” Yoga, and stretching my muscles as I warm them up, always helps me tremendously. So much, that when I’m consistent with it I feel like my body is normal. Fibromyalgia makes your fascia (tissue that connects your muscles to your skin) very tight and painful. Your muscles are like rubber bands, so when they’re cold they don’t stretch as well, but if you warm them up they are more flexible, stronger, and less prone to injury.
I hate to admit it because I feel like when I acknowledge it, it makes it real and something I have to deal with. I feel like if I ignore it, I don’t have it. I focus on what I WANT: I want to MOVE, I want to play with my kids, I want to skate, and lift, and not be confined to a couch/chair/bed. I spent 6 months in a wheelchair, and it was horrible. I missed riding my bike. I missed going to school. I missed kicking around a soccer ball, swinging on the monkey bars, throwing a football or baseball with my dad.
So I forced myself to move. I forced myself to use my muscles so I didn’t lose them. It was painful. Some days I felt like I set myself back it was so painful. But I stayed focused. I stayed determined. And I did recover.
It’s time I remember that. It’s time I get back to that determined self. It’s also time that I love myself and acknowledge what’s going on, and move forward. Sure, I’m going to be more sore than I’m used to being right now, but I’ll get past that, and I’ll be stronger.