Is #FullDisclosureThursday a thing? I don’t normally detail my many challenges surrounding healthy eating/working out (95% of them allergy-related), but I think it can be useful for us Professional Fitness Nuts to share that we, too, face obstacles to training the way we want to.
Today’s a good example of that. I’ve been on allergy shots for 9 years, and they’re definitely helping. But today’s an exception.
I’ll spare you all the details, but suffice it to say that I’m on the verge of having a panic attack because I can’t breathe properly (thanks, asthma). And every time I try bracing my core as if to get ready for a strength exercise, vertigo kicks in. Right now, my computer screen is on a continuous loop, scrolling to the left.
The absolute last thing I wanted to do was go to the gym. But I asked myself 3 questions:
1: “Is this one of those times where I’ll feel better after my workout, even though right this minute I feel so bad I want to bail on it completely?”
If the answer is “Probably”, or even “Maybe”, it’s worth trying.
2: “What’s the worst that could happen?”
Well, a full-blown asthma or allergy attack would be the absolute worst-case scenario. But I have meds on hand (including 2 Epipens). Plus, it’s happened before, and I’m still alive and kickin’. A more realistic “worst that could happen” is that I’ll still feel shitty after my workout. I mean, I honestly can’t feel any worse than this, so why the hell not try, right?
3. “Have you ever done a workout and regretted it?”
I think not.
So, off to the gym I went. I scrapped my original training plan of 4 sets of 6 lower body moves. My new goal was to do one set of squats. ONE SET. If I did that, I’d consider it a win for the day. Goblet squats, bodyweight squats, barbell squats - it didn’t matter, and I’d decide when I got there.
I ended up choosing barbell squats (much lighter than usual, it should go without saying). Ended up doing 8 sets of 8. Threw in a set of 12 chin-ups and a set of 6 dips just for the hell of it. Then did 3 sets of 10 kettlebell goblet squats and called it a day. That’s 28 minutes of training I otherwise would’ve bailed on.
So, do the allergies feel any better? Marginally. Do I feel any worse? Nope. Do I at least feel somewhat accomplished that I pushed through and put in some work instead of sitting on my ass feeling sorry for myself? Yep.
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