Staying Motivated During Injury

Believe it or not I had two friends contact me within hours of each other yesterday, asking for advice on how to stay motivated during injury. One recently had surgery to correct her problem and knows it will take a year for her full recovery. She has made GREAT strides in her weight loss and fitness level over the past year. She is afraid now that she can't exercise at her normal level for a while, she is going to backslide and lose some of those great gains she has made. My other pal is dealing with a rotten foot injury that goes back and forth between a couple of issues and possible treatments, depending on which doctor she is talking to that day! (Boot or no boot? Therapy? Cortisone shot? What IS the answer!?) She has NO idea how long she is going to battle with this and what the fix is. She has a few extra pounds hanging around that are keeping her from wearing all the cute summer clothes she has and feeling good about herself. So of course, I immediately went into motivator/trainer mode and tried to come up with things that I could tell them that would keep them on the healthy train while their injuries are fully diagnosed and treated.

Here is what I came up with. I hope it helps them as well as any others who may be dealing with the same sort of issues.

1. Listen to your Doctor. - Even though you may not like what he/she has to say, they are telling you not what you want to hear, but what is going to help you recover more quickly. The sooner you decide to FULLY follow doctor's orders, the more quickly you will get back to your normal routine. I know that a year doesn't seem "quick", but it is better than 2 years, isn't it? And look at your kids, think about how quickly the last year went by and how much they have grown and changed. See, a year really isn't all that long!
   
2. Remember this is temporary. - If you listen to your doctor, follow the rules and make sure things heal the best they can, you most likely will be back doing the things you love.
   
3. Focus on what you CAN do, and DO IT! - Right now the easiest thing to do is to think about all of the activities that you can't do. Instead, try to look at this as an opportunity to try some new things. If you were a runner and can't run for a while, now is a time to think about biking or swimming. What's that, you hate the stationary bike?? Well, it is summertime here in Ohio so get outside! Enjoy the scenery, invest in a bike rack for your car and find some new fun trails that you and the family can explore together. And you don't have to be Michael Phelps to enjoy the benefits of swimming. On a day you take the kids to the pool, spend 30-60 minutes chatting with a friend at the edge of the pool while you vigorously kick your legs for a great lower body and cardio workout. Or now might be the time you find out what Pilates or Yoga are all about!
   
4. Diet is going to be key. - I know, we ALL hate to hear this one. It is more fun to have nachos and beer or ice cream and cookies but believe me, I know from first hand experience that this one makes a HUGE difference. I am not going to tell you it is easy, but if you make up your mind to do it, I know you can! The first month is the hardest, but get yourself in a routine, teach your taste buds to crave the healthy stuff and it does become easier. And don't take an all or nothing attitude. Allow yourself little treats here and there so you don't end up binging later. And as far as the alcohol goes, set a limit for yourself and stick to it. Again, not easy, but you CAN do it! And remember, providing lots of nutrients through a good diet will also aid in healing your body more quickly!
   
5. Find support in friends and family. - Wherever you can find support in your workouts, healthy eating, and just staying on track in general, use it! If you have a friend that ALWAYS wants to drink beer and eat nachos, tell them your goals and ask if you can choose a healthier option. If they refuse and give you a hard time, maybe you shouldn't hang out with them for the first month while you are getting in the groove. What if that person happens to be your spouse? Well, tell them how important this is to you. Tell them you want to be a great mother/father to the kids and be around to grow old with him/her as well. If you really make it clear, I can't imagine he/she won't support you!
   
6. Go ahead and whine/vent about it! - Neither of the friends who called me yesterday are known for their complaining. So naturally, they both felt "guilty about venting" to me. Honestly, if it were me, you would SO hear me whining about it. So go for it. And in the words straight from of one of these wise pals herself, "Feel it, and then lose it. Don't dwell on it".
   
7. We are getting older, so set realistic expectations. - Remember that as we age, our bodies take longer to heal. We aren't going to heal from a serious injury at this point in our lives like we did at 25. (Ok, maybe some of you reading this are still 25...so you won't heal like you did when you were 15!) :-) Don't be too hard on yourself and expect to0 much. Don't be a slacker either, but just remember that our bodies do many amazing things for us every day and over time, those things take their toll.
   
8. Only YOU can decide it is worth it. - This truly is about you. Feeling good in your own skin. You can think about your spouse, your kids, how other will see you...but ultimately, only you can decide if the hard work is worth the trade off.
   
9. Take one day at a time. - Try not to think too much about a year from now, a month from now, or even a week from now. Think about today. What can you do to help heal your injury and keep yourself in shape.
   
10. Be kind to yourself. - Get a pedicure. Get a massage. Take a hot bath. Whatever it is that makes you feel relaxed, go for it. Be kind to your body and think of all the wonderful ways it serves you every day. Don't be angry with it for getting injured, think positive thoughts. (Some people think this is hogwash, but I happen to believe that my body reacts to the way I think about it!)

I hope these tips help you on your journey of recovery! If anyone has any additional injury tips, please feel free to add them in the comments!

A Tale of Two Friends

Over the past week I have had the great pleasure of reconnecting with some old friends. I leave my visit with them having one word come to mind: INSPIRED! (Well, we had a great time so there are lots of other words that come to mind as well but if I had to sum it up in one word, that would be it!)

Of the folks we had the chance to visit with, two of the couples seem to have found a magic combination that is working for them to get them on a healthy path. All of these folks look great, but they also seemed to have a glow about them, which left me with a desire to know what they were doing.

Now among my circle of friends, I am often known as the motivator, the one who brings inspiration to the others. (Hence, why I write this blog.) But lately, I just haven't been able to find the answer, to get in my groove if you will, even though I have been writing about trying to truly find it again for the past six months. After the visits this week, I have to tell you friends, I believe I have found the magic...my groove....the path....whatever you want to call it. I would like to share with you the top 10 things I took away from the amazing folks who inspired me.

1. Find something you enjoy, and do it! - No matter what form of exercise you choose, whether running, biking, walking, weight training, yoga, classes at the gym, or the P90X, find something that you ENJOY. If you don't, you won't stick with it.
   
2. Moderation is the key. - Most of us think we have to exercise more, cut out all the foods we love and make ourselves miserable to get to a certain fitness level or look a certain way. Not the case. As one of my pals told me this week, she is eating more and exercising less than ever before and she is at peak health/fitness levels. Moderation is key...(and may I say this is one of my biggest struggles so I am writing all this for me as well as for you!)
   
3. Find a balance in your activities. - As mentioned in #1 and #2, find something you enjoy but make sure you are practicing moderation (i.e, not just running 6 days a week and never weight training or stretching). A couple of days of lifting, a couple of days of cardio and a day of yoga or stretching...or whatever combo works for you. Just remember to have a well rounded workout plan.
   
4. Dedication and consistency are "must haves". - When I say dedication, I don't mean obsession (I wrote a previous blog post on the difference). Otherwise, these don't need any more explanation...just DO IT!
   
5. Find something you can maintain for a lifetime (or at least have a maintenance program). - This was my downfall last time around. I got in great shape, lost 20 lbs and dropped 12% body fat. But, it came with a price. Once I got there, I had no idea how to maintain it and I had been so strict with myself over the previous 9 months that I just went crazy. This time, a maintenance plan is already being crafted. :-)
   
6. Determine the REAL reason you are doing it. - Are you doing this for YOU? Are you doing it for your spouse? Are you doing it for friends, family? Are you doing it to look a certain way, fit in a certain pair of jeans? Or are you doing it because you truly want to live a long healthy, quality life? Think about what makes you tick, keep it close at hand and use that to motivate yourself every day.
   
7. Make peace with your genetics. - Ok, all of you how know me know that this is a really tough one for me! Wow...but, this year, 2009, I am going to make peace with my genetics. I do not have, have never had, nor will I EVER have...long legs. (See, I already acknowledged it in writing.) :-)
   
8. Don't enforce too many rules. - This was another pitfall for me last time. I had such a strict set of rules and as long as I followed them exactly, I did great and got results. But that was not a lifestyle I could maintain. So just remember, as one friend told me this weekend, nothing is off limits, there is no "I can't have that" in her vocabulary. Just refer back to #2.
   
9. Find a partner. - In both cases of folks we visited with recently, they were engaged in the journey with their spouse. Whether it is your spouse, a friend, your Mom, your kid....find someone on a similar journey and you will find it SO much easier.
   
10. Don't listen to "peer pressure".- For some reason, I have noticed that when someone gets on a good path, trims down, gets lean...whatever, others (who have a poor self image) often say things to discourage them, or to get them off track. Why do we feel better about ourselves when others are in the same boat? Don't fall for it. Find what works for you, stick with your partner and know that you will feel better about your choices in the long run.

So to my old friends on a new path....THANK YOU! You have inspired me to get back to where I need to be. Feeling good about myself, being active every day and this time, I am going to do it the right way.