Rest days, cheat meals, and my perspective

Before I got really involved with the fitness industry, I can remember thinking some pretty funny thoughts. I just didn’t know any better. And when you are new to something, you listen to what other people say, sometimes whether or not they are educated, or know what they are talking about. I can actually remember at my first fitness show I did, I ate a brownie after I went out on stage. I literally kept looking at my stomach thinking that I would see my muscles go away almost immediately. I didn’t understand and I knew I worked so hard to get where I was.

This was same with rest days. If you think about the concept of calories and calories out, it makes sense. Move your body everyday, then right? And the harder the workout the better, right?? Every workout should be KILLER and absolutely dreadful in order to see the results. If I’m not dying by the end that it doesn’t even count.

This is the way I used to think and, quite frankly, a lot of programs are set up to be. When I worked out that way, my body became inflamed. It never rested and I was all over the place with cheat meals, more like binge sessions, and doing workouts everyday where I was killing myself. I actually weighed 10 pounds more than I do now. I don’t like to look at weight too much, mainly because it can fluctuate so much, but let’s face it, it’s a measuring tool we can use to see if we are making progress, along with measurements, the way clothes fit, etc. That’s just to show you that living that way is doing more damage than good. Going extreme with your workouts and diet are bound to rebound at some point.

For a long time, I followed someone else’s plan for me instead of listening to my body’s whisper and body’s intuition of when I should workout, when I needed to slow down, and what I should eat etc. This took years to undo and realize that I could figure out exactly what my body needed with some guidance at first.

I didn’t want to hear it, just like I’m sure you don’t either, but slowing down speeds up everything. You have to eat mainly whole foods, you have to move your body, and you have to deal with your $h!t! Releasing emotions is the final piece that I believe got my body to feeling really darn good, and you can laugh at me if you want to, but I now 100% that what I am saying is true. There is so much emotion that goes into weight gain and weight loss. Finding a therapist, and working with coaches that have taught me to listen to what my body and God is telling me has truly changed the way I treat my body.

So please, if you are still reading this, take a rest day or two a week—-and yes a walk could be used on your rest day, or light yoga, but please, implementing weights or dripping with sweat do not take place on a rest day. And please, for the love, do not feel guilty for taking a day off! Your body needs sleep everyday to rest. It also needs days off to heal. Cheat meals are dangerous—they can lead to binging, deprivation, and obsession. Eat whole foods, most of the time, adjust as you go, and if you want a damn cookie, eat it, enjoy every bite, and move on afterwards!

If that’s still tricky, let’s chat! It sounds so simple, but there are a ton of barriers and rocks to jump over on the way. It’s so much easier having the accountability, and goals set weekly. I have 2 spots open for 1:1 coaching right now! What does that entail? Weekly video calls, workouts tailored to you and your schedule, text support, nutrition “plan” with goals to work on throughout the week, and mindset work. Fill out the form below and let’s see if we are good fit for each other!!!!

Sending so much love!

Rachel Ibbison