Tag: Listening to Your Body

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When Your Muscles Say, “Not Today”

Written May 8, 2025

Hello Dear Readers,

Sometimes, my body and I are just not on the same team. Today’s first planking session felt like trying to wrestle a walrus—slippery, slow, and strangely humiliating. As I collapsed into a heap after the first set, I stared into the abyss (okay, the ceiling) and wondered how on earth I was supposed to do three more.

For the record, I don’t do anything extreme. I jog four times a week and do 10–20 minutes of muscle training every day—respectable, not Ironman material. Yet even this modest routine requires me to walk the tightrope of “just enough” thanks to my charmingly fussy kidneys.

Protein is a particular diva in my diet. I can eat it, but only in controlled, red-carpet amounts. If I push too hard without fueling properly, my muscles start cannibalizing themselves like a badly written survival movie. Not the vibe I’m going for. So, I’ve learned to listen to my body like it’s the lead singer and I’m just the backing vocals. Some days, it hits the high notes. Today, it croaked.

Naturally, this led to the Great Plank Debate of the Day: do I quit after one and scale the whole plan back? Or do I test the waters again later and see if my body’s just being dramatic?

Several hours and one curiosity-fueled check-in later… surprise! Round two felt significantly better. Maybe the lawn mowing earlier had worn me out more than I thought. Or maybe my muscles just needed a little nap and a motivational TED talk. Either way, I was back in the game.

Session three was… fine-ish. Not glorious, but also not tragic. I rewarded myself with a brief pause and some household chores—because nothing says “active rest” like folding towels. Then came session four, powered by the holy grail of motivation: ice cream. And somehow, I did it.

This whole planking saga got me thinking—maybe I need a proper rest day in my routine. I already rotate muscle groups to avoid overworking the same area, but perhaps even my meticulous planning needs a day off. After all, I’m not a machine. I’m a human with medical fine print.

I haven’t figured out the ideal plank duration yet. I know I can’t keep increasing it forever (unless I’m training for a Guinness World Record in dramatic floor-staring). One day, I’ll hit a ceiling. But for now, I’ve made peace with the idea that recovery is not weakness—it’s strategy.

Living with chronic conditions means your exercise plan sometimes needs to bend like a yoga master. So today’s lesson? When your body says “later,” sometimes it means “better.”

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Rest, Recovery, and Rediscovering My Run

Written December 26, 2024

Hello Dear Readers,

I skipped my Wednesday run, which felt like breaking an unspoken rule in my routine. Why? Because my knee decided it was time to be the squeaky wheel—or, in this case, the squeaky joint. That makes three full days off from running, and honestly, I’m okay with it. Here’s why: I’ve seen what happens when you don’t give your body time to heal. My wife once pushed through an injury, thinking she was invincible, and let’s just say her recovery became a long-term project. I’d rather learn from her experience than repeat it. 

When your knee is unhappy, you suddenly realize how much you depend on it. For instance, going down the stairs earlier this week was like walking a tightrope while juggling knives—not exactly graceful. It was a sharp reminder to pay attention to the signals my body was sending. On Tuesday and Wednesday, every descent was a little “ouch” here and a little “yikes” there. But today? The stairs and I are back to being friends. My knee no longer complains, which I’m taking as a good sign.

This forced break has been an interesting shift. As a runner, rest days feel like a guilty pleasure, like sneaking a second slice of cake when no one’s watching. But sometimes, your body needs that slice of metaphorical cake—or, in this case, a few days to repair itself. Skipping runs isn’t easy for me; I love the rhythm of hitting the pavement and the mental clarity it brings. But I’d rather take three days off now than risk being sidelined for weeks later.

Rest has its perks, though. I’ve caught up on some reading, spent more time planning my next running goals, and even got an extra hour of sleep here and there. (Who knew recovery could feel this luxurious?) More importantly, I can feel the difference in my knee. It no longer twinges when I walk downstairs, and it’s not screaming for attention every time I move. That’s progress I can celebrate.

I’ll lace up my running shoes again tomorrow, and I’m hopeful it’ll be a smooth, pain-free return. With three days of rest under my belt, I feel like a sprinter at the starting block, ready to channel all my pent-up energy into a fast, satisfying run. There are no guarantees I’ll break any records, but hey, after days of forced patience, even a moderate jog will feel like a victory lap.

If there’s one takeaway from this experience, it’s this: listen to your body. Rest isn’t the enemy—it’s the secret weapon for coming back stronger. Whether it’s your knee, your back, or just a sense of exhaustion creeping in, sometimes stepping back is the best way to keep moving forward.

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Listening to Your Body: A Pineapple Upside Down Cake Experience

Hello dear readers,

Last evening, I decided to whisk together a delightful pineapple upside-down cake. The inspiration? A random recommendation from YouTube. Interestingly, this isn’t just any cake – it filled numerous slices of my childhood memories with sweet, tangy goodness. On the other hand, my wife was unfamiliar with this classic dessert. So, when she tasted it for the first time and grabbed a second slice, I knew I had hit the mark.

Relishing each bite of the cake was incredibly satisfying. Every mouthful blended nostalgia, sweetness, and that comforting feel you get from good food. And while I thoroughly enjoyed the cake for its flavor, there was another reason it felt so right: my body needed it.

Here’s an observation I’ve made over time: my regular exercise routine and my dietary habits often leave me with a subtle caloric deficit. This doesn’t mean I’m starving or devoid of energy. Instead, it hints at periods when my body might require extra fuel. And that’s precisely where intuitive eating comes in.

Intuitive eating – a term that resonates with listening to your body’s needs. It’s about understanding those tiny signals our body sends us, like when we’re hungry or tired. These cues, however subtle, are essential. In its inherent wisdom, our body tells us precisely what it needs. It might require rest after a rigorous workout or crave certain foods that need specific nutrients. In my case, it sometimes asks for a slice (or two) of a pineapple upside-down cake to fill a caloric gap.

However, and this is crucial, the challenge lies in distinguishing genuine body signals from mind games. Our minds are tricky players. They can sometimes convince us that we’re hungry when we’re bored or need to sleep when we’re merely avoiding tasks. It’s an art to differentiate between the two and a skill worth mastering. We can make decisions that benefit our health and well-being by tuning into our genuine physical needs and differentiating them from emotional or mental impulses.

So, why am I sharing all this alongside my baking endeavor? With the cake in front of me, I realized how attuned I was to my body’s needs. That cake wasn’t just a delightful dessert but also a testament to the importance of being in sync with oneself. It served as a sweet reminder that, while indulgences are great, they are best enjoyed when they align with what our body genuinely wants.

In essence, the next time you find yourself reaching for that slice of cake, or any treat for that matter, pause and reflect. Is your body genuinely asking for it, or is it just a fleeting whim? Knowing the difference makes all the difference.

To sum up, listen to your body. It often knows better than we give it credit for. Whether it’s asking for rest, nourishment, or even the occasional treat, we must heed its call. And sometimes, that call is for a delicious pineapple upside-down cake.