must exercise? going crazy?

ractayjon · February 2010

Beware - a bit long - thanks for reading --
I have been going to the gym 6 to 7 days a week since Ive started. I have taken a few days off here and there (usually planned "days off"). Last night I was planning on going to the gym but my plans got screwed up and it looke dlike I wasnt going to be able to go. I started freaking out a bit - really getting mad, frustrated and upset because my plans were changed and I was nt going to be able to go. Looking back it was a bit freaky - my reaction. I wound up going - a heck of a lot later then I wanted to but I did it and I was happy. I had a bad eating day yesterday and I thought that my reasons for getting were upset were based on my not so good eating.
BUT -
this morning I woke up with a stiff back, pulled muscle in my lower shoulder. I am pretty sur eI slept on it wrong and twisted a muscle. I have a friend who is a PT and she felt around and agreed with my dedcution. She rubbed it out a bit, gave me some ointment to help with the pain and told me that if it was still bothering me to come back tomorrow and she would work on it for me properly. All good news right?
SO
now I am confronted with another crimp in my plans. I cant really exercise (duh, I cant move) and shouldnt push it, I should heat and rest my injury. But, now I am freaking out - I am not going to exercise today and my mind is playing these weird tricks on me - I know in my mind that one day off (which Ive had before and I was fine) isnt going to derail me. Im halfway through the day and doing fine on my food...this shouldnt be a big deal - but it is a big deal and Im not sure I like it. I dont want to freak out everytime I dont exrercise for the rest of my life. Why am I feeling this way? Does anyone else feel this way? Am I going overboard with this "diet/new way of life"? Is it one of those stages? Why cant I just accept it and move on?
UGH!
I dont want to feel this way.

sno_flakee · February 2010

Sometimes when I feel this way a walk does the trick. Nothing to strenuous but at least something. Sometimes just getting outside, and breathing fresh air clears my head. Don't beat yourself up. We all have good days and not so good days.

BassBoneBabe · February 2010

I know how you feel. Yesterday I went over on my cals at dinner, I knew I was going to and at that time was okay with it. Then I started thinking, freaking out really, and ended up running very small laps in my bedroom until i had ran about a mile and a half and had done at least a minute of jumping jacks.

I also know I'm the kind of person that has a hard time taking just one day off. It usually leads to three months of me looking at my hand weights sitting on the floor, the bike in the corner, and my exercise ball deflating.

Rest up and heal, if you feel okay to do little things like a walk, take it, if not, sit in a hot tub, think about everything you have already accomplished and listen to your body saying "Gimmie a break, will ya?"

thisemmabites · February 2010

I totally understand !! I get really moody when I can't workout! Exercise has become my stress reliever. But if you workout and hurt yourself more you'll only prolong the time you are laid up. Take control of the things that you can, and breathe deeply about the things you can't.

Take care, I hope you feel better soon.

sigalat88 · February 2010

Just slow down and take it easy....maybe you were puching your body too much. Even if you just walked a mile to give your body a rest.

lkharris · February 2010

This is part of the "all or nothing" thing that I've subscribed to most of my life! This time around, after a couple years of not really doing much and totally losing the old 6 day a week routine, I am trying to teach myself not to do that anymore. Feel like it sets me up for failure - ie, once I take a break then I let the bad attitude get hold and think "why go back". Just give yourself this break, take a walk if that feels OK, if not, do that tomorrow. Try reminding yourself this is a lifestyle and there will be days you slip. It is OK. I know, blah, blah, blah. Hang in there!

Ang8178 · February 2010

I get like this too!!!! We only have one car and if my husband changes my gym time by even 20 mins... I get CRAZY!!!!!!!!! I'm thinking it's a personality thing... I can be very obsessive!!! Yeah, you do need to rest your shoulder. You will thank yourself when you do get back to working it out.

My only advice is to stay busy on days you can't get workout. Today is one of those day's for me... I'm organising my bedroom and cleaning the kitchen :laugh: You'll back to normal soon, don't worry :flowerforyou:

lt_mrcook · February 2010

If exercise becomes an obsession, you might want to take a step back. Missing a workoout session should NEVER cause you more stress. If you miss one, you miss one. Don't try to make it up or cram it in, or you could hurt yourself (glad you got that bit of info BEFORE aren't you...sorry). One day out of the gym will NOT hurt your progress, and in fact having 1 to 2 days OFF (a little yoga or stretching and nothig else) is good for you. Unless you have been training for years at a high intensity level, you can easily become overtained. I believe irritability is one of the symptoms (as well as increased risk of injury....again too late I know...sorry), but you could google it to be sure.

Now your plan is to get healthy as quickly as possible. Do NOT go static. Be gentle, but stretch and use the sore muscles. If the pain comes and goes, especially if you sleep one particular way you may have actually pinched a nerve and not harmed the muscle at all. Stay in close contact with your PT (personal trainer or physical theripist?) and make sure that it is just a pulled muscle.

Lastly, if you find you CANNOT control the obsession with and depression about missing a single workout you should consider talking to a professional. There may be underlying issues that have caused this, that I'm not qualified to help with. I do know that a friend in college had a serious issue with missing workouts (depression/self-hatred/obsession and over compensation during following workouts), and did need some therapy (it's not a bad word, honest) but in the end she's better for the experience.

Good luck and God bless.

tritta05 · February 2010

I can definately relate to what you are going through. In college I developed a pretty nasty "addiction" to exercise. Everyday (many days, multiple times per day) I had to go to the gym for a certain amount of time, to make sure I burned a certain amount of calories. I would make going to the gym my priority over school, friends, sleep, whatever. If I couldn't go I felt the same way you are feeling now. The problem with exercising that religiously is that your body never has time to heal. I ran myself right into ankle, knee, and hip injuries....literally. Because of those preventable injuries, I then couldn't work out at all. This past year I have somehow relaxed about not going to the gym. I think it was a combination of knowing that I'm not an olympic athlete so there is no reason to beat myself up like that and I actually began to see more results on those days that I took a day off. To be honest, I had to take a "gym vacation" to relax a little. I still get a little anxious when I can't get to the gym but I am more forgiving now knowing that my body needs it and will be able to preform better the next time because of it. Just make sure you continue to eat healthy and keep yourself busy on days off. Oh and don't try to workout again until you are truely healed, you'll just make it worse (been there, done that)!

must exercise? going crazy?

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