We’re all tuned differently and what works for one person isn’t going to work for another, and that’s OK. As individuals, we all have different processes and ways of doing things that are right for us, comfortable and completely normal. Perhaps keeping butter in the fridge is completely normal to you, however keeping it on the side at room temperature is completely normal to the person sitting next to. OK, perhaps that’s a lame example, but you get what I mean. We’re all programmed differently and the same can be said for the natural flow of our bodies.
Something that I’ve really been getting into recently is understanding the natural flow of my body, especially since listening to Amy Kuretsky’s podcasts (check them out if you haven’t already!). This is something that really resonated with me especially as I tried to find an effective routine that for me as a new parent and working from home with no childcare for 18-months.
I may have mentioned before my love of routine and getting up early to workout is a big part of my morning rituals to help focus my mind and ease me into a new day. Working out in the morning, and having this as a major part of my routine primes me for my day. Working out earlier in the day leaves me feeling more energised and pretty great.
Right now, I’m having a mental battle when it comes to my weekly exercise routine. Working out in the evening suits our family lifestyle better and frees more time up in the morning. But, and this is a massive but, I feel drained by 4pm and have no motivation whatsoever to get off my butt and workout. So far this week, I’ve made a promise to myself to wake up to work in the early hours of the morning while my little boy is sleeping and exercise in the afternoon instead. You can probably guess the outcome already, come the afternoon I couldn’t be bothered to workout so it didn’t happen.
Changing course and going against your bodies natural flow can be a major struggle. Admittedly, over the past few months, I have let work take priority over my health and well-being. Making myself a top priority and becoming my passion project is a key focus of mine for the remainder of the year. When we move with our bodies natural flow things are more settled and balanced. There is no point in trying to squeeze a round peg into a square hole if it’s not going to leave you feeling great.
Over the next few weeks, I’m going to try to commit to getting my morning workout done in the morning. It’s not that I’m not motivated to workout, but leaving my workouts until later in the day doesn’t work with my bodies natural cycle. I’m an early bird rather than a night owl. I like to wake up earlier when I’m most productive and I feel less energised in the afternoon. Some people are more productive late into the night, but that’s not for me and I’ve realised that this is perfectly fine.
great post i totally agree. I myself AM a night owl so I am most productive at night. I have tried to change my schedule before to wake up early to try to get more things done in the day but it never really sticks.
My husband is a real night owl, we’re totally opposite. He gets so much work done at night.
great post i totally agree. I myself AM a night owl so I am most productive at night. I have tried to change my schedule before to wake up early to try to get more things done in the day but it never really sticks.
I have a good routine and do try to listen to my body and follow my natural cycle. Will check out those podcasts, always open to learning something new and helpful.
I love those podcasts. They make so much sense to me.
I am just working all this stuff out for myself and looking at my diet and things. I am using a website called Gym Cube they have some fantastic live classes early morning and about 7.45pm I am trying to get my meals right as well as I have got so used to not eating and picking being at home with the boys all day
Oh, I will have to check out GymCube, not heard of that before. It sounds like something I would enjoy.
MY mummy needs to listen to her body more often. She works too hard and her days are really long, so at weekends she’s knackered. Maybe time to slow down a bit!
I think your mummy needs to slow down and take some time for herself. 🙂
I think it’s important to listen to our body. It’s not lying when it says we’re feeling a certain way and it’s best to go with what goes best with our mental and physical being. I find in the mornings to work out better if I can do it as I’m up early x
THIS! I think you are spot on with this.
Oh I’m definitely a morning person and exercising in the morning suits me far better than the evening, when all I want to do is eat and slob out! I’m really energised and motivated in a morning. And exercising in the evening makes me less sleepy which is a bit of a nightmare!
Evenings are all about slobbing out for me too. The day is done, my body automatically goes into wind down mode. i
I wish I had your motivation to get up early and workout in the morning but I’m such a night owl that will never happen. I’ve started back at the gym this week and I’m absolutely buzzing as I’ve realised how much I missed it, I’m definitely an after work workout kind of girl though.
It’s hard to stay motivated to do it if I’m honest, especially with the dark mornings. Great to hear you’re enjoying the gym again.
I think morning workout makes sense for most people, in the afternoon it’s time to start settling down for the night to have restful sleep.
What did strike me is that you manage to have your workout with a toddler! That’s impressive. I always priorities sleep… Partly because if I got up early and started making any noise in the house he would be up early as well. I would not do what I have planned and his routine would have been distrusted.
Enjoy making your well being a priority xx.
Working out with a toddler can actually be quite fun. Sometimes he tries to copy me and join in. It’s a bit chaotic, but sometimes its the only way.
We’ve had to readjust our body clocks over the past couple of months and it has been hard slog to be honest. I’m feeling more alive now though and my body is finally telling me that actually it does like getting things done in a morning!
Great to hear that things are more settled for you Helen. I bet it can get hectic for you with your girls and all their activities.
At the moment all my body wants to do is sleep so no im not following my cycle but i wish i was!! 🙂
Maybe your body is telling you that you need some downtime to rest?
Such an interesting post. I think it’s so important to stop and listen to what our bodies need xx
Amen to this! 🙂
Sometimes it isn’t possible to follow my body clock but, in the end ,I always pay for it in tiredness and ill health if I don’t listen to what my body says.
It’s hard sometimes isn’t, sometimes life gets in the way.
Totally agree with this, it’s all about finding a routine which works well for you x
So true! 🙂
I am definitely a night owl I become so much more alert and ready to do when night falls however much I try and get up earlier.
That’s great that you’ve found what works for you.
I agree there is a natural flow. My body has days where it wants to do nothing. I have to force myself to have that walk and try to stop late night snacks. Like cereal before bed! X
I’m a late night snacker too!
You definitely need to listen to your body. If you try to exercise when you’re too tired you’ll just burn out. It’s so difficult trying to fit work and exercise around family life though.
Alana x
So true! Listening to your body is so important and learning to give it what it needs.
I definitely think you need to listen to your body and if your body tells you not to do something then don’t x
Exactly, Rhian!
It is so important to listen to your body. I am the same, working out in the evening works better in terms of time, but I am just shattered then.
I know! I wish I could work out in the evenings as it would make things easier in the morning.
Not sure I do listen to mine as much as I should and then when I am ill, I always blame everyone else x
It’s hard to tap into your body at first, it’s a slow process but well worthwhile. Perhaps I should do a post on it!
Very interesting post, I am very much a morning person too. I get most of my to do list done then.
Yay! I’m most productive in the morning too.
Like you I need to work out in the morning when I have the most energy, otherwise I’m drained by the end of the day x
A workout for me is most likely to happen in the morning than in the afternoon. I get so tired in the afternoon.
I need to sort out my routine, I really need to set an exercise routine in rather than squeezing it in when I can.
I think having a routine can reall help.
So important to listen to what your body needs as much as you can!
Absolutely! 🙂
I am like you in that I am not one for evening work outs but morning ones work for me and set the mood of my day. I prefer to stick to what’s working for my body
Yay! Morning workouts really give you a boost in the morning.
It’s so hard to find the energy for a workout if you have a little one in the evenings. It really is exhausting. Good luck with chaining to doing it in the mornings again. x
Thank you! It is a struggle with a little one, But I think you just have to be gentle with yourself and not worry so much about it.
Loved this post! I am a night owl and hate getting up in the mornings. I could happily work night shift, but get me on a 7am start and I am next to useless! X
See I’m totally opposite, but this is what makes us brilliant individually.
Great post. Listening more to my body is something I definitely made a habit of doing more this year!
Yes, it’s so important and we al forget to do it.
I’m totally feeling your struggle. I recently did The Body Confidence Program which build lots of new healthy habits in my daily lifestyle and it taught me to do a lot according to the natural body clock – from when you sleep and eat, to when to exercise.
That sounds brilliant. Going to check it out.