For about the last 5 days my body has just felt broken as – very tired and annoyingly achy. 
I went to yoga on Tuesday morning and while I’ve felt like I’ve been killin’ it in class lately (don’t mean to brag but i’m pretty much an expert at replicating being a fish in fish pose 
) – I went in and straight away was like “is it time for the Savasana/meditation/nap part yet?”. That was my first thought….my 2nd thought was that I was in this class for another 60 minutes and I could barely muster the energy to get to mountain pose (literally just standing up), and my 3rd thought was that my body was obviously telling me it’s time for a wee break. I’ve been really consistent with my yoga practice for a while now and like anything, with change we often need to take a little pitt stop to recuperate and recharge for all the changes we’ve incorporated into our life – or in this case, the changes to my body. As I stood there trying to do the poses I usually aced, I instead looked like a drunk dog instead of a down dog, so then I said to myself right there and then I’ll take a week off and just do some light walks until my body felt right again. The old me (fitness nut/competing Stacy) would have been freaked out at taking any time off because that meant no muscle gains and a possible 10kg body fat increase because in the head of a fearful 11% lean girl that was totally scientifically possible within a 2 days rest period. Instead, I said “ok sweet, body, let’s take a break” not thinking twice about weight gain or my lack of progress – because rest IS progress.
If you are smart enough to listen to your body you will know that every time it shows symptoms of sickness/illness/injury/tiredness etc, it is TELLING you something. It’s not heroic or admirable to ‘push through it’ or train until you are completely wrecked – there is mental discipline/hard work and then there is stupidity, know the difference.
After this little mini break I’ll have just as much motivation (or even more – winning) for my practice and
that I’ll turn up to class next time refreshed and being the best dam cat/cow I can be. But for now I’m just going to have 7 days of Savasana. There is plenty of time ahead of me for growth and progress in yoga and the other exercises I enjoy (with no time limits), so it makes sense to look after the body I am in when it tells me to listen up. You have to work in harmony with your body so whatever movement/exercise/sport or activity it is you choose to do in life, know that it’s SMART to listen to the signs your body gives you.
Peace/love,
