My Journey With Health And Fitness – Throwing In The Towel

Sorry I didn’t post on Thursday, with the holiday season approaching we are just doing so much to get ready. I previously mentioned how we decided to start the season early so that we find happiness instead of thinking who is missing. Our house is probably 75% decorated, the Christmas lights are on outside every night and Christmas music is played all day. Yesterday I went out with my husband to the local Elks Lodge and I was in full Christmas attire including leggings, ugly Christmas sweater and reindeer earrings. Yes, it is already a merry season for my family.

Last week I caught my husbands cold. I wrote that blog about what I do to deal with having a cold. It was all working well and I made sure to take my multi-vitamins and zinc supplement every day. My symptoms (other than last Monday) have been pretty mild. Tues-Thurs I managed to keep up to my full workout routine. My husband was jealous because I had very little congestion and certainly not the hacking cough that he has.

But then yesterday hit. I woke up thinking that I must have been swallowing razors in my sleep, that’s how sore my throat was. Still, I got up, took some ibuprofen and went to the gym. While it was Circuit Friday (one of the more challenging classes) I got through it but when I finished I was pretty drained. I decided it might mot be in my best interest to do my usual 10 km walk so I did some work around the house instead. As the day progressed I got really congested, more so than I had all week. I don’t get how I could go from recovering to feeling even worse.

I started to realize part of the problem is I am not giving my body actual recovery time. I think I need time to let this cold runs its course without me constantly pushing it to the limit. I decided that instead of going for the 10 km walk at 5:00am this morning I would sleep in and give myself the rest I apparently need. Sounded like a good plan until about 2:30am today when I woke up with a throat even worse than yesterday. So up I got and took ibuprofen again. I really didn’t get back to sleep so finally got up at 5:00am. Of course I had an 8:00am class that I did go to and while I struggled at the end I did feel a bit better for having don it.

At this point I realize I need to throw in the towel and just acknowledge the cold has won. And so tomorrow I am not setting the alarm. The most workout I plan to do is a gentle walk up town. Monday I will decide what I plan to do based on how I feel when I get up but if need be I will only do my 1 hour walk with the seniors and I might hang back with the slower walkers. I am hoping a few days of letting myself recover and I can be back at it.

I know I said I am throwing in the towel but really I am not. I am just coming to terms that no matter how fit I am, I am not invincible.