I appreciate you writing this. I have been kicking myself for a few years because it has been hard to do the workouts I once used to do with no problem. For example, I used to go hike up and down a mountain a few times a week with no problem and a very short recovery. Now I’m kind of sore and spent after just a few miles with much less elevation. It has really frustrated me.
Katie, thank you for sharing. I 100% know what you mean. And it's like... WHAT IS HAPPENING TO MY BODY!? One thing that has helped me is thinking of ways to mix things up, not just b/c of the changes happening to my body but also for fun and experimentation. For example, I found that trail running was requiring longer and longer recovery, and I would be REALLY fatigued for days afterward. I experimented with switching to rucking and have found it just as challenging and my body is liking the change up. Have you found anything you can do that makes going up and down the mountain more accessible, yet still challenging? Or alternate fitness activities that you enjoy?
Changing it up sounds like it could work for me…I’ve tried taking breaks and making sure I’m eating enough and staying hydrated. For awhile I thought it was my iron levels being low (I’m anemic) but I’m usually good about managing that. And then I thought it was because I had been sick and had a slow recovery. But even after months of trying to get back into shape, it just wasn’t the same and hasn’t been. I remember I was at Smith Rock with a climbing group and I just didn’t even have it in me to climb… I hiked the loop and I cried tears of joy after going up a few hundred feet. My old body would’ve had no problem doing that, but this new one… it was an energizing moment, but I really had to work for it. I’m almost 42 and this change really started in earnest when I was maybe around 38 or 39 and I did beat myself up over it for awhile. Still do sometimes when I see what my friends are capable of doing.
I’ve had very similar experiences, Katie. I remember being able to lift at the gym in the morning, followed by an 8 mile trail run., and then go bouldering in the afternoon. That was in my 30s. If I tried to do that schedule now, I’d 100% hurt myself because tired = more likely to get injured. It has taken a couple years to accept this for myself. I hope the things I write about here will help you navigate the changes you’re seeing. My goal is to help you stay strong, move well, and feel good in the body you live in.
I appreciate you writing this. I have been kicking myself for a few years because it has been hard to do the workouts I once used to do with no problem. For example, I used to go hike up and down a mountain a few times a week with no problem and a very short recovery. Now I’m kind of sore and spent after just a few miles with much less elevation. It has really frustrated me.
Katie, thank you for sharing. I 100% know what you mean. And it's like... WHAT IS HAPPENING TO MY BODY!? One thing that has helped me is thinking of ways to mix things up, not just b/c of the changes happening to my body but also for fun and experimentation. For example, I found that trail running was requiring longer and longer recovery, and I would be REALLY fatigued for days afterward. I experimented with switching to rucking and have found it just as challenging and my body is liking the change up. Have you found anything you can do that makes going up and down the mountain more accessible, yet still challenging? Or alternate fitness activities that you enjoy?
Changing it up sounds like it could work for me…I’ve tried taking breaks and making sure I’m eating enough and staying hydrated. For awhile I thought it was my iron levels being low (I’m anemic) but I’m usually good about managing that. And then I thought it was because I had been sick and had a slow recovery. But even after months of trying to get back into shape, it just wasn’t the same and hasn’t been. I remember I was at Smith Rock with a climbing group and I just didn’t even have it in me to climb… I hiked the loop and I cried tears of joy after going up a few hundred feet. My old body would’ve had no problem doing that, but this new one… it was an energizing moment, but I really had to work for it. I’m almost 42 and this change really started in earnest when I was maybe around 38 or 39 and I did beat myself up over it for awhile. Still do sometimes when I see what my friends are capable of doing.
I’ve had very similar experiences, Katie. I remember being able to lift at the gym in the morning, followed by an 8 mile trail run., and then go bouldering in the afternoon. That was in my 30s. If I tried to do that schedule now, I’d 100% hurt myself because tired = more likely to get injured. It has taken a couple years to accept this for myself. I hope the things I write about here will help you navigate the changes you’re seeing. My goal is to help you stay strong, move well, and feel good in the body you live in.