- High-Glycemic Foods: That post-sugar crash? It's not your friend.
- Red Meat: It’s not just about the fat content. There's something about red meat that doesn't sit well with fibromyalgia.
- Caffeine: A double-edged sword. In moderation, it can be uplifting, but overconsumption might lead to a caffeine hangover—a trigger for fibro fog.
- Artificial Additives: It’s a far cry from "mother knows best" when it comes to man-made flavors and preservatives.
- Start a Food Journal: Write it down, every morsel. Not everyone keeps a journal, but this one might hold the key to your health.
- Experiment with Elimination Diets: Think of it as a lesson in learning to listen to your own body.
- Stocking Your Shelves the Smart Way: You are what you eat, so be a smart shopper. Load up on whole, unprocessed foods.
- Supplement Sensibly: Your plate might not be getting all the nutrients it needs. Talk to a holistic practitioner about supplementing your diet.
- Hydrate and Recover: Water isn’t just for fish. Staying well-hydrated helps with overall pain management.
If you're anything like I used to be, when you think of getting results from a workout, you think high impact. Low impact workouts are for rest days only, right? Wrong! In fact, I've gotten some of my best results from low impact programs.
Now, don't get me wrong. Shaun T is always fun! (Cize and T-20 are some of my favorites.)
But after a freak fall while playing volleyball in February of 2018, I had to slow it down. High impact wasn’t what worked best for my body anymore. (I’ve finally begun to truly heal the last few months thanks to dry needling, but that’s for another post.)
Yoga has become my best friend. Yoga? That's not even a workout is it? I mean you just stand there (this according to a neurosurgeon I was seeing after my fall).
If you think yoga is just standing there, you have obviously never practiced it. I find it to be the most well rounded form of exercise I’ve ever done, working on the inside and out.
And yoga is great for defining muscles, not to mention the strengthening and flexibility you get from practicing.
I’ve tried going back to some higher impact workouts a few times, thinking I miss it. But I really don’t. I’ve fallen in love with yoga. It’s what makes me feel my best, in every way.
So yes, you can absolutely get results from low impact workouts. The point is to keep your body moving. Find what works for you. Listen to your body and give it what it needs.
And don't forget to clean up your diet in the process. Bad eating habits will absolutely keep you from your best results.
How are you? Are you a low-impact or high-impact worker outer (yes, worker outer...it’s a thing. Ask me.)
Listen to your body.
If you know me in person, or if you follow me on social media, I'm sure you've heard me say (more than once), "listen to your body." If I have any advice to give, that's the best. Y'all it's so important. No one knows you the way you do.
It's also common for me to be asked, "how?" "How do I listen to my body?" "What does that mean?" So let me see if I can explain.
It's hard for me. This is something I've been doing since I was first diagnosed with fibromyalgia at the age of 19. No one told me how. No one even told me to. I just did it. Naturally. I didn't want to slow down but I quickly learned some things led to more pain than others. Some things would take longer for my body to recover from. So I learned what was what.
I realize though, that this is not the case for everyone. And, honestly, it seems to not at all be the norm. So, I'll do my best to help, because I feel it is so so important to our health.
Our bodies give us so many cues. Muscles tense up. Stomachs churn and cramp. Our bodies want to give out. We get headaches. Our brains become foggy, making it difficult to think or concentrate. I could go on, but I think you're probably getting the picture.
Y, all, these are all signs from ourselves telling us to change something. But what? How do we know?
Invest in a journal. It doesn't have to be anything fancy. It can be something as simple as a spiral notebook or something with more guidance like one of my favorite Dailygreatness journals. (These are fabulous by the way.)
Start making notes of EVERYTHING! Seriously. What did you eat today? How much? How did you feel afterward? The next day? What else went into your body? Think OTC's or prescription meds. Or maybe you use essential oils* or another natural form of pain relief. What did you drink? Write It All Down!
Did you workout today? What did you do? For how long? Notice anything different in your body? Where? How does it feel? Did you feel better or worse afterward?
Where you active or sedentary? What types of things did you tell yourself today? (Y'all, self-talk is sooo important! We'll address this in a future post.) Who did you surround yourself with? How did they affect your overall thinking and feelings about yourself?
I know, in the beginning it can seem like so much. It can feel like too much work. And if you're expecting immediate answers or changes, you're likely to lose hope and give up. Let me first encourage you not to do that! That's the worst thing you can do.
Start off small. Pick one area you want to focus on first. Then add another, and another. Choose a journal (like the Dailygreatness Wellness Journal) that will walk you through with prompts. Eventually you'll find yourself doing it automatically.
Just whatever you do, don't give up! Remember, you're doing this for you. You're working toward health and finding your best self. So, now you choose. Are you worth it or not? If you're asking me, I say you absolutely are!