Getting Back on Track - Is It Too Late?
How I’m Getting Back on Track with My Fitness
You’re probably wondering why I’m talking about getting back on track when the year is almost done. What’s the point, right? Well, the longer I’ve lived, the more I know that waiting to align with a schedule, any kind of schedule, is just more time thrown away. Also, when your goal is fitness-related, you better get that butt moving because with fitness and exercise, time does nothing but worsen things when you’re ‘laying low’.
I can safely say that the last year has been one of the worst and best seasons of my PCOS journey. How does that even make sense? Well, I’ll explain! It has been the worst because I have had so many relapses and setbacks, lots of new ways my hormones are ‘expressing themselves’ and changes that I thought weren’t in the cards for me. You know I’m adaptable but honestly? This time, I have experienced way more change in my body than I thought was possible. It has also been the best season for me because I’m dealing with all this change and chaos from a place of knowledge. I can confidently say that I know my body much better now than I ever did. I detect the symptoms right when they appear, I have a good idea what has triggered them, and I know what I need to do to manage them. Do I always do those things? Umm… maybe not? But I firmly believe that knowledge is power, and where PCOS is concerned, ignorance is definitely not bliss! And the best part is that when it’s time to start getting back on track, I have a clear idea what I need to do to get there. And that time is now!
In 2020, when COVID broke out and we all spent copious amounts of time thinking about our lives, I got into some really healthy habits - one of which was running. You see, it was a personal challenge for me because I had never been a runner. In secondary school, I would get thrown out in the very first set of selections before we even got to the heats. So running was one of those things I felt I needed to do to prove something to myself. Was it logical or reasonable? Maybe not. Was it healthy? Yes. So I figured, just try it! By the end of 2020, I was comfortably doing 10km runs three times a week, crushing my goals with every run on my Nike Run Club app, and looking amazing! I was back to my pre-mum weight of 2010 and I was making healthy choices overall.
Fast forward to 2022…
A lot of change, some trauma and prolonged neglect of myself to cater for everyone else. I had long stopped running, gained weight, missed periods for months on end and had debilitating cramps when they did come. I had a conversation with a friend one day and decided to jump right back in. So we joined a high-impact fast-paced super inspiring local gym and started crushing it 4 early mornings a week. I bet you’re waiting to hear that I bounced right back. Ummm no I didn’t! As a matter of fact, things got worse! Weight did not drop, cycle remained irregular and disruptive, hormone levels were all over the place and my mental health was declining everyday. It made absolutely no sense!
Then….
I started to read up and check in with myself and experts. Apparently, the crazy early morning cardio sessions, to the extent I was doing them, were putting more stress on my body causing it to negatively impact my cortisol hormones which was bad news for my stress levels. With high stress, PCOS symptoms became worse, so not only was I not shedding weight and missing out on the feel-good benefits of working out, I was gaining even more weight, sleeping poorly, seeing my blood sugar do crazy numbers, and wondering if I was going crazy. Oh and remember the mental health challenges I was already facing which I was hoping working out would help! Imagine my confusion, frustration and what then happened to my motivation!
With a lot of reading and talking to my doctors (yes I see both a family doctor and a naturopathic doctor), I was able to figure this out. Now, I’m just trying to find that sweet spot. Emphasis on TRYING. I focus on walking rather than running (30 minute walks a day with a nice incline will do the trick), some moderate cardio (zumba is always a hoot), not starving myself of any nutrient or major food group (yes, no ‘dieting’ for me), low-intensity, weight-based workouts including pilates and yoga, maintaining a healthy sleep routine, taking supplements, and trying out acupuncture for stress management and overall wellness. In the next few weeks, I’ll share my experience with acupuncture!
So why did I tell you this story?
I used to be my own worst critic and strongest motivator. So if you’re like the person I used to be, you know this time of the year comes with some internal monologue that sounds like accountability but is just self-induced stress. All of this is in the past tense because I no longer focus on what I haven’t done or how far I haven’t gone. I’m either simply doing something (which may or may not look like what I initially planned), or focusing on getting back on track with whatever my goals were. Or maybe just taking a break, knowing that I will get back on track, but pausing to enjoy the view. And most importantly, my goals are not overly prescriptive around the ‘how’ but on the ‘why’ and the ‘what’. No point keeping them inflexible when life will do what life does anyway.
Right now I’m focusing on being a whole person, a whole person who is wholly well. I am focusing on my physical health, mental clarity, my family, my community, developing myself and thriving THROUGH all the challenges - old and new. And THAT is already a win!
I can break down my current process into these 4 steps -
Clarifying the why: It’s about my wellbeing and not tied to a goal of looking like I did before 2011
Breaking my goals down into smaller steps: I try to record a win everyday, no matter how small
Setting realistic timelines, or simply taking timelines out of the equation, and
Celebrating success along the way: e.g. this post right here!
Are you still wondering what the point is?
Since 2023 is already almost over! My response to you would be, what do you have to lose?
Are you letting a calendar dictate what you do and how you do it, or do you want a strategy to help you feel more in control regardless of what date it is?
Also, I’m not only talking about the big New Years’ resolutions. I’m talking about all types of goals - deciding to stop snapping at the kids, keeping to your morning routine, doing more meal planning, launching a new big idea, dropping a habit, making healthier choices etc. Literally anything.
Figure out why you need to do it, redefine what success looks like, and I promise, it won’t look as insurmountable. Even if all you do is realize that you’ve been worsening the problem when you thought you had been on track all along!
Everyone deserves to reach the goals they set for themselves, and have fun as they do this!
I did take part in the 5K race at the recent Toronto Waterfront marathon in October, and walked about half the time. While that old ego-focused voice in my head was reprimanding me for not pushing myself harder and trying to beat (or at least meet) my old pace, the rest (and more important part) of me was happy. I went outside, bonded with my son, did something I loved doing, guilt-free and most importantly, I was able to pace myself and do what was best for me, not caring about anything beyond that. That’s a win in my book!
Resources:
Exercises for PCOS - https://www.healthline.com/health/womens-health/exercise-for-pcos#exercise-types
Incorporating Cardio into your routine for PCOS - https://www.pollie.co/blog/how-to-safely-do-cardio-with-pcos