Why Your Workout May Be Adding To Your Stress

Feelin like Stressy Stresserton right now?

You may be inadvertently making it worse:

Remember that your body reads your workout as... stress.

It can’t tell the difference between:

the stress of a heavy ass barbell
the stress from a work deadline
the stress of a brutal metcon
the stress from a fight with a loved one
the stress from that upcoming travel
or anything in between.

It’s all the same to that cute temple of yours.

I know you like to use the gym as a “stress reliever”, and while it CAN certainly be that (and some stress is actually GOOD— and obviously movement is, too), and I know that the draw for how “good you’ll feel after” is real, it’s not aaalways your best bet.

So you’re probs wondering, How do I know when to skip the gym?

When in doubt, ask:

Am I taking an already taxed body and mind and piling more shit on it?

Goals, to-do’s, and routines aside, is this the most *healing* option for me at this moment?

In other words, if you’re feeling:
Worn down
Exhausted
Overwhelmed or overstretched
Tired or fatigued
Like you reeeaaallyyy just don’t want to
Like the gym is more of a ‘should’ than an ‘I’d love to’...

...Or if the *idea* of skipping the gym for a while scares you or sends you into a panic/guilt (stress) spiral,

It might be time to take a raincheck, and instead offset all dat stressy stress with restorative movement instead— like yoga, stretching, or walking— or an hour with a book or a friend, or [gasp!] simply nothing at all.

If we’re really moving for HEALTH, stress on stress on stress just isn’t it.

So just an invitation to check in and listen for what you really need, and be sure that your actions are *truly* serving you for where you are right now.

K? K.

Take care of yourself.