In an attempt to calm my mind and switch off for a bit, I decided to take the weekend as a rest, not do any training (yes, two whole days off – it took a lot of willpower) and try to find some ‘zen’. I’m a big fan of yoga and love following Adriene Mishler’s practices on YouTube but I have a tendency to opt for cardio or strength training over yoga because I feel like I want more of a workout. However, I’m always reminded of the joy and benefits of yoga when I practise. Yoga is great for strength and flexibility and is such a good way to compliment other training and look after my body. It also allows me to take some time to focus on the present moment and while I’m on the mat, the rest of the world kind of stops for a bit… I don’t know about you but I definitely need more of that in my life! The idea of yoga is not to force your body into positions but to experience how your body feels as you move and breathe. I find yoga helps with relaxation but it also boosts my energy, leaves me feeling good and ready to face the world. I also love the fact that, like Crossfit, it’s ‘scaleable’ – you do what you can at your level and gradually work towards improving positions and flexibility – no pressure.

I’ve always struggled with meditation and mindfulness – partly because I can’t seem to find the time for it but also because I struggle to switch off. I always feel like I could be doing something more productive with my time! That said, I have got a couple of apps on my phone and occasionally use them at night to help me wind down. Listening to a voice guiding me through visualisation and focusing on my breathing is normally enough to distract me from my mental chatter and I’m often asleep before the session ends.

Spending the weekend chilling with my son, doing a bit of yoga and trying some meditation definitely left me feeling more relaxed. My resting heart rate that had crept up by 15bpm over the last few weeks, is heading back down and I feel a bit more in control of my life again. It’s so important to just stop every now and then and I’m terrible for constantly finding another job to do and feeling ‘twitchy’ or guilty if I sit down for more than five minutes. Yoga gives me the opportunity to slow down and find some peace without having to sit on my backside doing nothing. After my restful weekend, I felt energised and ready for another week of training and my mind was certainly calmer so I felt able to think more clearly. Bring it on Monday! Perhaps I should remember to find my zen more often!

I tend to plan my training sessions for the upcoming week on a Sunday. The planning is partly because I don’t have time to dawdle about trying to decide what to do on the day but it also ensures I schedule a variety of workout types to avoid the same focus every day. The debate over cardio v. strength for optimum fitness have been a constant in magazines, podcasts and social media but I’m definitely in agreement with those who advocate a balance of both. Certainly, Crossfit encompasses both so I’ll need to make sure I’ve covered all the bases for my 24hr Challenge!

Although I schedule all my workouts for the week, I do stay flexible. We all have days when our energy is low, things don’t go to plan or, particularly as a woman, hormones can totally throw our day off. I think it’s really important to listen to our bodies (even though I can sometimes be guilty of pushing through regardless) so if I’ve planned a strength session and wake up feeling low, I might swap that workout for a feel-good Body Combat blast instead. Other days, I might have zero energy and can only face a yoga session. By doing what I fancy on the days where I have less drive, I’m more likely to give the workout my best and, therefore, get more out of it.

That said, keeping my workouts varied not only means I work different muscles and include a mix of fitness elements each day but it also stops me getting mentally bored with my training and stops my body getting complacent too. I’m always up for trying new workouts because it keeps things interesting and it feels good to challenge myself to see what I can achieve.

Yoga is another regular in my schedule – mainly for active rest days but also for a post-workout stretch or an evening chill. My morning sun salutation is a non-negotiable. Yoga leaves me feeling mentally and physically strong, flexible and calm and is really good for muscle recovery. What’s not to love!

The Crossfit Open launched this week so today’s challenge is Workout 21.1 – lots of jumping and wall walks. Wish me luck… I think my shoulders may be complaining tomorrow! I haven’t scheduled my Saturday and Sunday training this week – I’ll get through the Open workout first and figure it out from there, based on my ability to move in the morning. I’m looking forward to the challenge though and it’s giving me a real buzz of excitement to get planning and preparing for my own Crossfit challenge later this year!!!

I promised myself that I’d get back on track on Monday and so far, so good. More FIIT workouts, Body Combat, Crossfit, Joe’s PE sessions with my son and dog walks have all contributed to a good few days. With the spring sunshine and longer days too, I’m certainly feeling more happy and positive! My husband is away again this week but I’m trying to get some early nights instead of sacrificing sleep by staring at the telly for virtual company. I’ve really appreciated the difference good sleep makes recently – as well has having more energy, I make much better food choices, feel a lot more positive and ultimately have the capacity to train better. Win win!

However, one thing I’m still not very good at is taking rest days. I hate not being active and feel like something is really missing from my day but I do appreciate the value of having a day off. I’ve forced myself to have a training-free day today, partly because I can’t remember when I last had a rest day but also because I am just SO tired. You know that feeling when your face just won’t wake up? My Fitbit statistics are a really handy reminder to have a break too – my resting heart rate normally sits in the low 50s but it’s been up at 60 or higher the last few days which is a sure sign I’m worn out. I also know that the rest will leave me with so much more energy so I can put more into (and get more out of) my training tomorrow. So I’ve walked the dog and done some yoga – well, it’s not all about sitting on the sofa! The fresh air and time with nature always does the world of good, even more so during these days of lockdown, and yoga gives me a lovely sense of calm and happiness too.

Boris has told us this week that the gyms should be opening again soon and I’m super excited. Like a lot of people, I’d settled into home workouts over these last 12 months during the pandemic and wasn’t sure I was bothered about getting back to the gym but I now realise how much I’m missing it along with the people and sense of community. But, for now, back to the resting….. and hoping the Smarties that my son had earlier and that I couldn’t resist (tiredness overriding willpower again) will give me some additional fuel for my training tomorrow :0)