The holiday season is coming. If you're like me there will most likely be ample indulgences you'll come to regret. Eating a few more cookies than you'd planned. Gorging on that delicious turkey and all the trimmings. Perhaps it'll be drinking one too many glasses of eggnog. Or staying up that extra hour even when you know you should be gone to bed for long ago. The next day - or sooner - we'll come to regret it when we're feeling the sugar-low, the belly bloat, the hangover, and the fatigue. Though, amidst all that, one thing I can assure you you'll never regret is a workout.
This weekend I hopped on the treadmill a couple of times after yet another short hiatus. After a couple of weeks of indulging in more sugary treats than usual, I realized I was suffering from a sugar hangover. For me, that means I feel sluggish, am a little grumpier than usual, and just plain don't feel good. I was regretting the coffee cake that was so tasty, warm and fresh from the oven. I was regretting the Starbucks gingerbread and whoopie pies that were the perfect complements to my lattes. I was regretting those handfuls of M&M-laced trail mix and tricking myself into believing it was a healthy choice (it was trail mix right?). All good in the moment, but over time not so much. Ugh. I did not, however, regret my weekend workouts.
I remember reading the mantra - you never regret a workout - somewhere on the world wide interweb some time ago and it just resonated. It doesn't always stay top of mind, but feeling the after effects of too much sugar and too little activity, it made it's way back to the surface of my grey matter. Now, after just two days of good hydration, nutritious food + limited indulgences (I'm so not one to totally cut stuff out) and a couple of good workouts, I felt awesome. I felt energized. I felt stronger. I felt happier. I simply felt more like myself.
I share this here today to remind myself of how good exercise makes me feel, how important it is in my life, and to make time for it as the days get busier and busier between now and the New Year. If it serves as a little inspiration for some of you to get off those hineys over the holiday, well that's just a nice bonus. Note to self: I never regret workout. Chances are neither will you.
Happy Runday Monday.
2 comments:
Totally agree with you...I missed Zumba one week because kids were sick, then Instructor was on vacation the next week, then hubby was away the following week. So, here is a month later and I got the feeling of dread and aches I know will be coming. BUT I keep saying I will feel so much better...mind, body and soul!
Another great thing about these two products in general is if you live in a small dwelling, you can actually buy a "folding" elliptical or treadmill. These allow you to easily place the abdominal exercise machines in a corner or even under a bed for that matter.
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