How MOVEMENT Has Changed For Me

What does “WORKING OUT” look like NOW? 

SO DIFFERENT!!!

I really don’t know where to start with this question, because it is a BIG one and there is so much that I have to say about it. As I have said before, things happen for a reason in life, and as hard, stressful, and emotional as my surgery was, it has changed me and made me a different person, for the better. I am more positive, stronger, and loving emotionally and physically. There has been a MAJOR shift in my life and I am all for it and I love this new ME.

I also LOVE the way I feel about moving my body! For so many years I really abused it with over-exercising and undereating. It was all about how many calories were burned, how many hours could I put in, and no days off. It was NUTS and I was exhausted from it, but I kept going and going and never really stopped. There was no JOY in my workouts. I was just going through the motions and never even saw any gains. My body was in survival mode.

The surgery changed it ALL for me and I am grateful for it, because my workouts have taken on a whole different meaning for me. I move my body differently. I have a different respect for my body. I LISTEN to my body. YES, I still have moments where my eating disorder or my “old over-exercising” self try to make an appearance and try to go back to my old ways, but the NEW me squashes her and pushes her away.

It is also crazy how after my surgery I have been spending a lot of time on Nantucket…My HAPPY place and also my HEALING place! See…the universe works in miraculous ways. With that being said, here I am looking at everything differently…the movement…the food…life in general. I needed this wake-up call and I feel really good. I feel strong. I feel happy. I feel like I have a second chance to be better and I am working on that every single day. So let’s talk about the MOVEMENT and what I have been doing since the surgery and since I have been on the island.

WALKING

I don’t think I have ever walked so much in my life as I have up here on Nantucket. The joy of just being able to walk out of the house and walk around the island makes me happy. I bundle up, I lace up, and I just go. I have no desire to listen to music, I just embrace the cold winter day and waddle around happy as a clam. I NEVER thought I would find so much happiness in walking, but it is also very therapeutic as well, and I think deep down that is why I do it so much.

For the first week when I arrived on Nantucket it was ALL I did and it was ALL that I wanted to do. I had no desire to get sweaty, lift weights, or do intense workouts. WHO THE HELL AM I? I listened to my body and I did only what felt good.

What’s kind of crazy is that there were actually some days I was sore from walking so much? Who would have thought?! I am still doing it daily and it is a nice afternoon break to just get outside, soak up that cool salty air, and take a moment to disconnect from it all. I’m a happy waddling walker.

RUNNING

4 weeks post-surgery and I tackled my first run! It had felt like a really long time that I actually laced up and hit the pavement. I was even signed up for a half marathon in Charleston, but it was a few days after my surgery and obviously, that wasn’t happening. Weirdly I wasn’t upset about not running. I was emotionally exhausted from the months leading up to the surgery and the results, and running was the last of my concerns.

Again, post-surgery, I just listened to my body. I knew that running would be the last thing that I could do and I was okay with that. Just like everything else, I would be able to do it again, I just had to be patient with the healing process. Old me would have been freaking out, but the NEW me embraced this downtime from running. My body needed to heal from the surgery and the years of over-exercising, especially with running, so this whole experience was truly a blessing in disguise.

I have a new appreciation for running. When I took those first steps, it was awkward and it made me laugh because my leg felt awkward and clumsy and was like what are we doing here?!?! But I was patient, I went slow, and I did what I could. Eventually, it all came back, but holy guacamole I was sore as heck. Those quads were barking and damn it felt good. I was back. But I didn’t push it! NEW me again showing up and listening to my body and honoring the healing process, but also honoring my new mindset and outlook on movement.

STRENGTH TRAINING

I started lifting weights again as well, but it took me about 5 weeks to get back into it. I didn’t want to be in the weight room. I didn’t want to lift heavy things, so I didn’t do it. I know the importance of strength training and why, especially as a woman in her 40’s I need to do it, but sometimes you just need a break. I knew I would want to do it again, so I just listened to my body. I started going to the gym on Nantucket and slowly started to do my usual workouts to get back into the groove again, but as I get stronger, it is time to switch things up and try some new stuff. NEW Katie…NEW Workouts…Let’s GO!

I think for next week’s post I am going to talk about how FOOD has changed for me, because it’s another topic that I have a lot to say about.

Merry Christmas friends and see y’all next week!

xoxo