It’s OK to Miss a Workout

I used to hate feeling guilty about missing an exercise class.

That’s because I knew deep down that the reason I told myself – ‘I was too busy’, was really just an excuse. There were plenty of other people I knew who were busy and had time to exercise!

Do you have that voice in your head that says ‘You should really do more exercise?’

Yep! Me too!

We all know exercise is good for us, but there are also legitimate times when it’s ok to miss a workout.

Here are some:

If…

• You’re sick – your body needs the energy to get better
• You’ve worked out so hard the day before you can’t even lift a toothbrush (By the way - you never really feel that sore the day after you’ve exercised)
• Your doctor has told you not to
• You're hungover – a dehydrated body that exercises is likely to get injured
• Sleep deprived – sometimes sleep is more important than exercise and rest is a vital part of being healthy.

It’s not ‘wrong’ to miss a workout.

It doesn’t mean you are weak or undisciplined.

It doesn’t mean you won’t reach your goals.

The reality is the body needs rest. It needs to recover from exercise sessions. Overtraining is when you exercise without giving the body enough time to recover and heal. If you have an injury you may need to take more time to fully heal and recover.

Here are some things to think about to help you overcome the exercise guilt:

1. Be Consistent
Work at being consistent with your exercise. Be consistent over the long run and your exercise will pay off. Plan a realistic schedule that you can stick to 80% of the time. Know it’s ok for that schedule to change as your schedule undoubtedly will. Bitesize Pilates is the perfect approach for women with busy lifestyles as it is flexible and easy to adapt to work for you.

3. Listen to Your Body
Learn what your body needs. We aren’t going to feel great all the time, but we can find a balance. If you feel overtired, take a day off. Or even two. There’s no need for guilt if you are overdoing it. Sometimes, repeating that logic (if I rest now, I won't be burnt out later) can help. Be mindful of what your body needs – a high intensity workout or an extra hour of sleep.

4. Enjoy living an active lifestyle
It’s not just exercise. It’s a lifestyle. It’s how you think and feel about yourself and the positive things a healthy lifestyle brings. If you take a long-term attitude about your health and fitness, you enjoy your exercise more. You’re committed to a wonderful journey of health and fitness and it’s not about getting it 100% right all the time.

It's OK to miss a workout, or several, for any reason.

Your needs and wants are valid, even if they mean skipping a bit of exercise.

If you’d like to join a group of women who exercise without guilt then please check out my Pilates membership ‘CORE’ by clicking this link: www.gilaarcherpilates.com/core-pilates-membership.

Find out more about my approach to guilt free exercise in my book: www.gilaarcherpilates.com/store.