Hi my name is Taylor Walker and I have a confession to make: I HAVE NOT WORKED OUT IN TEN DAYS. Yup, TEN DAYS! If I am being honest, this is not the first time that life has gotten the best of my workout schedule. I am human. I am busy; and sometimes, I am exhausted and downright lazy.
[I know, I know…enough with the excuses.]
Over the past week and a half I have taught classes where I do work up a sweat, but that is not enough to get my blood pumping and release the endorphins I rely on to keep me positive and upbeat! Nutrition and exercise have been at the forefront of my life for the past few years and I am getting back on track as we speak. But today, I wanted to share with you exactly how I felt when I let my health take a backseat to work and play because I know many of you can relate.
If you have been in a healthy rut this winter, let’s shake off the winter blues and spring ahead together!
So here goes…
PROBLEM:Early on I made unhealthy food choices and let my cravings get the best of me!
When I do not exercise I am less likely to make healthy food choices, like eating a large french fry in one sitting. Social outings can feed the soul and add what I like to call “happy calories” to your diet. There is nothing better than meeting up with a girlfriend. Sharing a bottle glass of wine and indulging on a Saturday night, but even a little bit of alcohol can open the flood gates for poor food choices. Missing workouts can increase those cravings ten-fold! After scarfing down a large fry that was doused in salt and grease I was temporary satisfied until I woke up feeling like I had a raging hangover. No, it was not the alcohol. Because, a glass or two is a moderate amount for me. It was the salt and fat from the fries that did not leave my system for at least two days that took me down.
SOLUTION: Do not beat yourself up. Treat every day as a day to begin anew. If you have a “snaccident” drink plenty of water the next day and focus on eating only whole foods the entire day. Greens, whole grains and lean protein at every meal.
Keep note of when your cravings hit and create a ritual that surrounds them. If they are at night when you are watching TV, maybe sip a cup of tea slowly before snacking, it may be the hand to mouth action you are craving. If not, have a healthy alternative. If those both fail, offer yourself one serving of whatever it is that you are craving. Drink water and eat mindfully! Enjoy every single bite.
PROBLEM: Major Brain Fog.
SOLUTION: If I have brain fog in the morning I am able to kick it to the curb with a couple of healthy options to start my day like: My adrenal kickstarter (8 oz water, juice of one lemon, dash of cayenne pepper and 2 Tbs Apple Cider Vinegar), bulletproof coffee, a well balanced breakfast like smoked salmon ezekiel toast or eggs with avocado and you guessed it, EXERCISE!
My morning routine combats my brain fog, but early call times and waking up in different time zones can be seriously disruptive! So no matter where you are…try to establish rituals and keep them. Do ten burpees to get your blood flowing then stretch in the shower.
PROBLEM: Increase in Acne.
Unfortunately, when you are stressed, traveling, not eating well and it is “that time of the month” your face will gladly tell you.
Solution: I look to my dermatologist and a little thing call ‘face mapping’ to help me figure out what my body is telling me. My chin and jawline mean hormonal breakouts. My cheeks may mean a respiratory imbalance and when I am not working out I am not circulating blood well throughout my body.
So, I cut out dairy for the month to decrease inflammation, got back into routine workouts and focus on the root of the problem. I also found that I was slacking on my nightly acne routine from Rodan and Fields.
PROBLEM: Decreased Muscular Strength and Endurance: Now that I am finally back to my normal routine, I notice a big difference in my bodies ability to keep up in class. I am fatigued quicker than normal (endurance) and my body simply feels weak, vulnerable and imbalanced (strength). Which is frustrating for a fitness professional. Honestly, it is a bit ridiculous because I am a perfectionist in class. So this stretch of limited movement is not a good thing for me!
Solution: Try to make fitness a priority. Fit in fitness wherever and whenever you can. At work: get up every hour and do ten squats. Schedule workouts on your calander and set mini fitness goals every week.
Problem: Focused on Nutrition
This really is NOT a problem! I was talking to one of my other model friends the other day and we were discussing our schedules. It is really difficult to have a routine when we are in and out of hotels and on and off airplanes every week. So other than a couple of craving mishaps I really focus on eating as many whole, nutrient dense foods as I can. It helps my digestion stay on track, decreases bloating and clears that pesky brain fog! So, if your schedule has gotten the best of you make sure not to let your nutrition fall by the wayside too. It will be that much harder to get back on track.
Problem: I Felt isolated and did not feel like being social:
I am alone a lot because of my job and sometimes it gets this “introverted extrovert” into a rut. When I am run down, feeling crappy and my skin is broken out, I do not feel like myself and the last thing I want to be is a social butterfly.
Solution:
As soon as you can plan a workout date with one or a few of your friends! My favorite dates are the sweaty kind. We go catch a class and then find a great juice bar for a healthy lunch and girl time. It is just what the doctor ordered! My friends are one of the best parts of my life and I miss them dearly when I do not get to spend time with them!
So there you have it! That is my March confession. We are all humans that are just trying to be the best we can be in life. We are all perfectly imperfect. I always want to be real with my readers and honestly-it feels really good to get that off my chest! We are back to business as usual here, and I am going to try my best to not let that happen again!
Happy Humpday!
