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The 3 Things We Need To UNLEARN To Exercise Safely & Successfully (When Living With Autoimmune Disease)
For people living with any kind of autoimmune disease, one of the side effects they experience is exhaustion, chronic fatigue and a lack of energy.
When you are exhausted all the time, it feels like everything in life is 50% harder. Just getting through the day is a chore. Nights and weekends become less about being social and more about being too tired to do anything else but rest. We feel disconnected to the people in our lives, even our most loved ones. It becomes difficult to go out into the world, even just to run errands, nevermind having a social life. And when we do spend time out with friends, family and loved ones, often we come home even more spent, even more exhausted, because we have so few energy reserves in our tank.
I know this from personal experience. There have been times in my life where this was me. I would come home from a long day of work and be so exhausted, so completely wiped out, that I was cranky and short with my family. My husband and little kids would be so excited to see me, and all I wanted to do is go lie down.
I realized how awful this was- I had so little energy in my energy bank account and I was spending all my energy resources at work. I had nothing left to give the people I loved and who I was excited to see. It felt so very wrong.
In my opinion, energy is the most important element of life. Without energy, we don’t feel like ourselves. We feel like a shell of ourselves. It’s hard to spend time with the people that we love, laughing and enjoying life, when you are counting the minutes until you can get into bed.
Now, we know that for people living with autoimmune disease, exercise can help reduce exhaustion.
But in order to get this benefit of exercise, this awesome side effect, we have to unlearn everything we used to know about exercise and begin again- moving our bodies in a way that prioritizes energy production.
Here is a list of the three things we need to unlearn most… and the three ways we can make changes to prioritize energy production, so we can use exercise to feel happier, feel better in our bodies, and feel more like ourselves again.
We need to shed our old reasons for wanting to exercise. The fitness industry knows exactly what to do to prey on our insecurities. Making us worry about how we look or how much we weigh creates a feeling of pressure and anxiety- which leads us to exercise harder and faster, with a feeling of urgency.
When that makes us feel worse rather than better, we then feel shame and put the blame on ourselves, feeling like we did something wrong, like we failed. This shame cycle isn’t good for us emotionally or physically, and we don’t get the results we want.
Instead of listening to these outside voices for our motivation to exercise, we need to look inward instead. What kind of life do we really want to have? How do we need to feel in order to live that life? What do we want from our bodies? My guess is that your answer will be that you want more energy, so you can do all the things in your life that need doing. You want more mobility and endurance, so you can be physically capable of handling all the things your life has to offer.
In order to get these kind of results, slow and steady wins the race. A little bit of exercise, consistently, over time, will help you build energy, endurance and mobility without wiping yourself out or making you feel badly about yourself.
We need to adjust our expectations when it comes to exercise and exercise results. Again, the fitness industry has done us a disservice here. We have been led to believe that we can get 6 pack abs in 30 days. That results can happen quickly. And that if we don’t get these results, that we have done something wrong or failed somehow.
The reality is that results don’t come so quickly. I wish I could tell you otherwise, but I’d be lying. It takes time and consistency, showing up again and again, in order to get results. And if we adjust our expectations accordingly, we will be much less disappointed and ready to give up when we don’t see the results we anticipated quickly.
We need to understand that results will come. We just have to know where to look. The fitness industry has created such a narrow definition of what “results” look like- and that usually pertains to body shape and the number on the scale. Now, these kind of results aren’t bad- and for some people they are very important goals. However, they don’t have to be the only results we look for. In fact, when you exercise consistently, a little bit at a time and manage your energy levels appropriately, these kind of results will be happy side effects. But they aren’t the only kind of results we look for.
Autoimmune Strong members have shared so many different kinds of results that we don’t even think of as results. Here are just a few.
“My posture has improved. My body feels “taller”. I can feel it, and my husband has noticed it too.”
“Walking uphill while walking the dogs is getting easier and I am not longer huffing and puffing.”
“I had a busy day and I was certain it would cause a flare, but it didn’t. I can handle these busy days much better than before.”
“I had a little bit LESS PAIN than when walking before starting the program. A LITTLE BIT LESS PAIN. That is a huge win for me.”
“I know what to do to take care of my body now. For example, I came home with shoulder pain the other day. I knew which exercises to do. I did them, and the shoulder pain went away. Poof! I feel more confident that the pain is not permanent.”
“We were invited to a party. When I was at my worst, I could not handle more than one or two hours standing at a party. Now, I realized - the day after - that I had been standing for more than four hours - without even noticing.”
When we change our perspective on exercise, everything in our life can shift. Just a little bit a day can go a long way. Autoimmune Strong can show you how. Give Autoimmune Strong a try and see if it’s right for you. To learn more and sign up here for your Autoimmune Strong membership and get the first 7 days for FREE. Start your free trial today!
Why ‘pushing through’ is a really bad idea
If you’ve been around here for a while, you’ll know I get really angry with coaches and exercise gurus who tell you to keep ‘pushing through’ when exercise gets hard.
But maybe you’ve been wondering just WHY that’s something we don’t want to do…
I figured it’s time to dig into just a little of the science behind what’s going on here! Ready?
(For you non-sciency folks out there, don’t worry, I won’t make it too complicated! But having a basic understanding of why our bodies sometimes have a hard time, really helps us to know how to prevent it.)
Our bodies have an autonomic nervous system, which controls our physical responses of the body and mind.
The autonomic nervous system is composed of two components…
One is the ‘everyday’ system that deals with the humdrum of life. It’s called the parasympathetic nervous system, and we use it to ‘rest and digest’.
The other, the sympathetic nervous system, is the emergency system which you might have heard of as ‘fight or flight’. It gets switched on when we’re in danger and need to be ready to respond right away.
It’s the sympathetic nervous system that will put you on high alert, set your heart racing, and take energy away from secondary functions like digestion and tissue healing - so you’re completely focused to respond to any threat.
Now, the sympathetic nervous system is only designed to operate for a short time.
And if your sympathetic nervous system is switched on too much of the time, it starts to have really negative effects:
Your muscles become inflamed and sore from being tense all the time
Your sugar levels get depleted as you burn up sugar too fast
Your digestive system isn’t prioritised, so you start to experience digestive issues
Over time, your adrenal glands (which make the adrenaline to keep this whole system running) become depleted, and you stop being able to respond quickly when you need to
WHOA! Scary stuff, I know…
But it’s important, because SO many of us end up spending way, way too much time in ‘fight or flight’ mode - and that stands in the way of our healing.
Any time we react to something as though it’s threatening - like a presentation at work, or a difficult conversation with someone we love - that sympathetic nervous system kicks in.
And any time we ‘push through’ once we’re tired - which, let’s be honest, is sooo tempting when you’re sick and struggling to do all the things you need to - we’re using the sympathetic nervous system again.
And any time we hear that ‘ding’ from an app or a message, and we jump up to respond - there it is again.
Now, why does this matter for our exercise?
Well, every time we push ourselves to do something our body isn’t ready for, the sympathetic nervous system kicks in again - and when we’re already sick, that can be all it takes to trigger all those nasty symptoms again.
But there is a way to exercise WITHOUT kicking into your sympathetic nervous system.
If we can learn to feel safe as we exercise… and to listen to our bodies when they tell us it’s time to stop… and to not push ourselves outside the limits of ‘rest and digest’... then our bodies can continue to heal and recuperate, even as we build strength.
Over time, we can do harder and harder things - without triggering an adrenaline response.
I’ve designed the Autoimmune Strong program for exactly that: to help you learn to exercise in a way that feels safe and builds up your body over time, rather than hurting it.
With strength + love,
Andrea
The KEY to restful, restorative sleep this holiday season
I know I'm not the only one who finds my sleep patterns get disrupted in December!
Evening events, traveling and sleeping in unfamiliar places, and catching up with family members can all get in the way of keeping to a regular bedtime.
Then, when we do go to bed, our bodies are often wired from all the activity.
That's why I want to talk about how we maintain our sleep during the holidays - so that we can come into the New Year with energy and without flares!
There are lots of great tips out there for how you can prepare your body for sleep. For instance:
switching off your screens before bed
picking a consistent bedtime, and sticking to it as far as possible
setting up your sleeping space to be comfortable (especially if you're traveling), and making sure it isn't too warm
But, did you know…
The way you move your body during the DAY affects how you sleep at night!
Here's how that works:
If you do TOO MUCH physical activity through the day, you can send your cortisol into overdrive, which can keep you awake at night…
And if you do TOO LITTLE exercise, that can affect your sleep too! A stiff, tight body can cause a number of problems during the night, like aches and pains and restless legs that keep you awake.
The Autoimmune Strong exercises are designed to sit in that sweet spot between too much and too little.
By helping you to move your body regularly, they allow your muscles to stretch out and relax, so that you can sleep more comfortably.
And by providing just a little bit of challenge, they strengthen and condition your body to be ready for tougher tasks - WITHOUT triggering a stress response that would keep you awake.
That's right - regular, gentle exercise is the best way to support your sleep for the holidays, and beyond!
Next week, we'll be digging even further into how exercise can help you stay well at this time of year. You can check back to the strategies we've already covered here.
I'd love to hear which tips you are implementing to maintain your health this December! Just hit reply to let me know!
Let’s talk about the post-thanksgiving sugar cravings!
Today, in our series of 5 ways to stay healthy this holiday season, we're talking about sugar cravings.
In the stress and busy-ness and the rush of the holiday season, it can be SO easy to fall into the habit of grabbing something sweet as a pick-me-up when we start feeling tired or overwhelmed.
After all, we're surrounded by sweet treats at this time of year!
And let's face it - a sugary snack really DOES make you feel better for a little while.
Unfortunately, that comforting feeling doesn't last long.
Sugar gives a brief rush of energy, but that energy dies back down again and we find ourselves reaching for another snack.
BUT- sugar actively contributes to inflammation, so that over time it makes us MORE tired, MORE grumpy and MORE in pain.
It also makes it MORE likely that we'll hit a flare during, or right after, the holidays.
And it makes it MORE tempting to skip or give up on our exercises, and lose out on the wellbeing that comes from moving our bodies.
In other words, if you are reaching for sugar to help you feel better, it could leave you feeling worse instead.
Just to be clear, I'm NOT saying that you should avoid your favorite treats completely, unless you are following a specific diet. Holidays are a time for celebration, and I want you to enjoy that!
Instead, try to be aware of WHY you're reaching for that snack. If you've been looking forward to one of your mum's famous gingerbread cookies all year, take the time to relish it!
So, how should you respond when you start craving sugar?
We need to recognize that our intense sugar cravings can be a signal that there is something more going on with our bodies.
Sugar cravings can serve as a useful barometer, as they are one of the first signs that we are getting run down- and perhaps even that a flare is coming on.
The sugar cravings are often the canary in the coal mine, so you definitely want to pay attention to them.
Take this as a reminder to check in with your body, and find out if there is something else you need.
Ask yourself if you are overdoing it? If you feel a flare coming on? And then- maybe you can head it off :)
Next, there are some steps you can take to reduce the sugar cravings. Instead of waiting for a sugar craving to hit and trying to fight it off, here are some ways you can prepare for battle:
Have a plan of what you're going to eat at mealtimes. When we're hungry, our brains become tired and depleted, and it is hard to make good decisions. You can make things much easier for yourself by deciding in advance. I find having a plan in place helps so much, especially when I'm traveling!
If you're like me, you might sometimes forget to eat when you're busy. Try setting a reminder to let you know when it's time to grab breakfast or lunch, or time to start preparing dinner.
For those hungry moments, stock up on healthier snacks that you can grab on the run.
Be sure to drink plenty of water. Often, we get sugar cravings because we are dehydrated. So, if we hydrate properly, we are less likely to have the sugar cravings in the first place.
And finally- just breathe. Sometimes I find myself standing at the cabinet, rummaging around for sweet things, and I realize that I have been holding my breath for hours. Sometimes taking a deep breath is enough to help you step away from the sugar and do something else instead.
If you can implement just ONE of these tips, it will take you a long way to protecting yourself from sugar-induced crashes this holiday season.
AND… the most important part is this! If you eat less sugar, you reduce your inflammation- which means that your body has less to fight and your exercise intolerance will increase.
So, less sugar intake means more energy to exercise!!!!
And that’s a good thing :)
Eating the right foods is really important to supporting your wellbeing and your exercise routine. That's why I created a food guide, which is available as part of the Autoimmune Strong program, to help new members eat in a way that supports their bodies as they build strength. You can learn more about Autoimmune Strong and the food guide here.
How hydration helps you feel GOOD through the holidays
This week, we're talking about another way you can stay healthy during the holidays: by drinking enough water.
You can review the full list of 5 ways to care for your body at this time of year here.
We all know that water is good for our bodies! But most of us struggle to know HOW to stay hydrated. That's even more true in the busyness of the holidays, when drinking water is the last thing on our minds.
That's why we are taking some time to break this down today.
First, I want you to understand WHY drinking water is important to maintain your health and your exercise routine.
Many of us are chronically dehydrated. In fact, we can get so used to drinking too little that our bodies adapt to living without enough water.
One effect of this is that we stop feeling thirsty. In fact, if you only feel thirsty when you exercise or eat salty food, that's a sign that you are chronically dehydrated.
In reality, our bodies need water throughout the day, regardless of how active we are.
This means we can’t just wait for our bodies to tell us when we need a drink. Instead, we need to plan to drink more water.
This is even more important during the holiday season. Your body is exposed to more stress and unhealthy foods, which can increase inflammation. Staying hydrated is one way to counteract those effects and protect your body.
Learning to hydrate your body is so valuable! Good hydration not only reduces chronic pain, it also protects us from symptom flares.
As you begin to feel better, you will find that doing your exercises becomes easier too.
(If you’re someone who dreads exercising because you feel pain, this could be especially helpful for you!)
When your body is hydrated, your exercise tolerance also goes up. So you won’t just feel better: you can actually progress faster as well.
With that in mind, here are my tips for learning to hydrate your body:
Figure out your water intake target.
As a quick rule of thumb, you should be drinking 1 ounce of water for every 2 pounds of bodyweight. In metric, that's 100mL for every 3 kilos you weigh.
You don't need to start drinking your target amount right away - your body won't be ready to absorb it. Instead, start to gradually increase your water intake over time.
Just like with exercise, slow and steady wins the race, and a little bit goes a long way.
If you find the taste of water unpleasant, that's OK.
Remember, your body isn't used to being well hydrated. Try drinking just a few sips of water. Over time, your body will learn to recognise that water is good, and it will become easier to drink.
(You can also try adding electrolytes to your water. Electrolytes help you to absorb water, and they add a different taste.)
You want to spread your water intake through the day, so make sure that you start drinking in the morning. An easy way to remember is to keep a glass by your bed. When you wake up in the morning, take a drink right away.
I find that once I have had one glass of water, it's easier to drink another one.
Just one last thing for today! Before you close this post, take a moment to ask yourself:
“When was the last time I had a drink of water?”
If it's been a little while, this is a great moment to grab your water bottle and take a few extra sips.
You’ve just taken an important step to preparing your body for the holidays!
Journaling for Health (and Sanity!) During the Holidays
The holiday season can feel busy, overwhelming and rushed- and we so often emerge in January with a full on flare-up.
In my email last week, I shared my list of the few simple things you can do to help prevent this January flare-up… and since I know that it's hard to implement 5 new ideas at once, I wanted to take the next few weeks to dig into each one. (You can re-read that post here!)
Today, I'm going to talk about how I use JOURNALING to stay in touch with my own needs during the holiday season.
There are so many different approaches and tips out there to journal effectively, but for me, I like to keep it super simple.
In fact, you can start this journaling habit in just ONE MINUTE every day. Here's how I do it:
1. Get set up:
My favourite time to journal is first thing in the morning, after my exercise but before I do any work. You might find it easier to journal at a different time, for instance before bed.
If you can, find a quiet space. If you live with others, you might find it helpful to shut the door.
Grab a pen and your journal, or open a note on your phone. (If you use your phone, be careful not to get distracted by notifications. Remember, this is YOUR time.)
2. Now, take a deep breath and ask yourself these two questions:
'What does my body need today? What am I feeling?’
'How can I give my body what it needs today?'
Sit with these questions for a moment and see what answers come up. Remember, the answer probably won't be the same every day.
For example, if yesterday was a busy day, then today you might need to take things slowly. Or, if your throat is feeling parched, it might be time to grab a glass of water (more on that next week).
This is also a good chance to look at your exercise habits. Are you doing too much? Too little? Giving your body a chance to speak to you about this is really important.
3. Finally, write down just one thing that you will do today to take care of your body.
You might want to tell someone else what you've decided, or set a reminder in your phone. I often use a sticky note that I carry around with me to help me remember what to prioritize.
(If nothing comes to mind, that's OK. It can take a little while to discern what your body needs. By simply asking the question, you've already started to open up an avenue of communication with your body. Way to go!)
Bottom line: Taking a minute each day to communicate with your body is the best strategy to anticipate your needs and take care of your wellbeing this holiday season.
Five Steps to Combat Flare-ups and Fatigue This Holiday Season
The holiday season is quickly coming upon us!
The holiday season can be a time of constant flare-ups for those of us with autoimmune disease. The uptick in social gatherings, planned events, a crazy schedule, no time for exercise and the constant temptation of sugary snacks and unpredictable portions...can all lead to an unraveling of a foundational routine that we’ve built (or are in the process of building).
This has happened to me in years past, and I would always get anxious leading up to the holiday season for fear of letting myself down. So, how have I learned to maintain a grounded sense of routine and moderation for the holiday season?
I have five key action steps that I hope will resonate with you:
1. Journal every morning.
I’ve learned to love asking myself questions like: What does my body need today? What activities do I need to complete so I can feel at peace at the end of the day? What time am I exercising?
Setting aside a bit of space to write intentions for myself, as well as ask myself honest questions, is the perfect morning reset. My journaling practice helps me tune into my body and figure out exactly what I need for the day to come.
2. Drink plenty of water.
I find that staying hydrated throughout the day keeps the sugar cravings at bay. But I'm always considering how it effects my exercise too. Water helps lubricate our joints, replaces the water we lose when sweating, and does so many other wonderful things!
3. Choose and prepare nourishing, on-hand, foods.
Speaking of cravings, by intentionally stocking my fridge (or packing to-go snacks if traveling) with healthy, fresh, and simple ingredients, I’m able to grab these items BEFORE reaching for something I may regret later.
The way I feel when I eat healthy also inspires me to keep up my fitness routine. Nourishing food = more momentum to show up!
Are the sugar cravings holding you back? Read this to learn how to beat those sugar cravings blues.
4. Set a bedtime and stick to it.
Believe me, I could spend all night on Netflix watching “just one more!” episode of my favorite shows. But creating a non-negotiable time for sleep sets you up for the next morning’s non-negotiable time for exercise. Sometimes setting boundaries, even if they sound restrictive, are actually the guardrails we need to feel a true sense of space and peace.
5. Find time each day for just a BIT of exercise.
Just like making sure I have access to healthy snacks and plenty of water throughout the day, keeping my exercise area and exercise clothes ready are little tricks I use to keep myself grounded. When I make exercise a habit that I actually cannot avoid, it becomes a part of my day without me even realizing it.
If you aren’t sure how to exercise in a way that works best for your body, don’t worry- Autoimmune Strong is here to support you with an exercise program that can help you feel great! Click here to learn more about Autoimmune Strong.
How to "Mindset, Identify, and Journal" When You're Feeling Stuck
Mindset. Identify. Journal.
Or “MIJ”? Maybe not the catchiest acronym, but we’ll make it work!
These are the three simple components to my self care routine. From there, everything else falls into place.
When my mindset is focused on self-care, I always make healthier choices.
You see, our mindset is key to getting ourselves through our physical exercises. We so often think working out is just about the body, but did you know that your mind-body connection is what’s really important?
Here are some ways that we can so often let our mindset trip us up when exercising:
Do you get apprehensive about trying something new?
Are you worried you’ll “fail”? Does this bring you back to all the other times you tried something and it didn’t go as planned?
Do you feel nervous about physical activity after being let down by other exercise programs you’ve done in the past?
Understanding how to identify and work through those thoughts, or what we call “thought obstacles,” is what’s going to help you stick with your routine.
By setting this time aside just for you to think and process, you’re actually preparing yourself to begin a new way of exercising.
Stuck on how to identify your specific thought obstacles? Consider these two questions:
In the past, what has stopped me from consistently exercising?
What happens in my life that knocks me off my rhythm?
And you know the next logical step... journal!
Get cozy with a new notebook (or just a scrap of paper will do!) and write down what has come to mind. It’s from this place of stillness, we will sow the seeds of meaningful movement! Consider these questions:
What are my personal thought obstacles? What has gotten me “stuck” in the past?
What are ways I can work around them when they happen?
How can I prepare myself for these obstacles before they happen?
Physical exercise is SO much more than just waking up with your alarm and mindlessly going for a run. We’re not robots!
Especially for those of us who have been let down or disappointed in the past, struggling with a current flare-up or worried we may get one again soon...it’s all about preparation. And focusing on your mindset, identifying past triggers and obstacles, and taking the time to write these points down will give you the space and clarity to begin something new.
You can return to this practice as many times as you need, because the more you do, the more you’ll be in touch with what your mind-body connection is telling you.
At Autoimmune Strong, we dive deep into this and similar concepts, leading our members to build a sustainable practice that strengthens both their minds and bodies. We hope you’ll join us!
Top 3 Autoimmune Strong Tips For Setting Up Your Workout Space!
At Autoimmune Strong, we want you to feel excited about your fitness setup, so it inspires you to continue showing up for your exercises!
We think taking these three simple steps to properly set up your surroundings will help you feel ready for starting or continuing on your Autoimmune Strong journey!
We get a lot of questions about how to set up your ideal workout space, what clothes to wear and what equipment to buy, so here are all the answers!
1. Decide exactly where you want to do your exercises.
Our living spaces are used for so many things these days, so it’s extra important to find a space for yourself where you feel comfortable moving around.
Some people like to find space in their bedrooms where they can have privacy. Personally, my preferred space is in my living room because there is enough space for a yoga mat and it looks out a window towards a beautiful tree.
The space doesn’t have to be for the sole purpose of exercising—the great thing about Autoimmune Strong exercise is that you just need a yoga mat. You can unroll it to start and roll it back up when you are finished. And voila, the exercise space goes back to its original function!
So, the first step is to walk around your house and think, “how can I create a space for me?”
Once you find a good space that makes you feel comfortable, you can gather a few things to demarcate this special space. For example, I always get my water bottle filled, roll out my yoga mat, light a candle, and tell everyone around me not to interrupt me until I am done. That is my process for starting my exercise routine in my house.
2. Decide what clothing to wear.
There is always so much fuss made about having specific exercise clothes. That is not a requirement here. You don’t need a special outfit to participate in Autoimmune Strong exercises.
We just recommend clothes that are breathable and flexible! You might not be working up a serious sweat doing our exercises, but you’ll want to dress in an outfit where you’ll have full range of motion. Think comfy clothes. Whatever gives you your full ability to try new movements is what you should use.
**We do recommend that if you’re wearing a large shirt or sweatshirt when foam rolling, to be mindful that it doesn’t get all tangled in the roller if you are rolling on the floor. I have gotten my hoodies caught so many times!
Personally, I like a supportive sports bra and compression tights. (Athleta is my favorite brand and no, I’m not a sponsor. It’s just my personal preference). As long as you are comfortable, anything goes!
Did you know? There are Autoimmune Strong t-shirts, tanks and sweatshirts available for you to workout in! They are super comfy and soft, and I always wear mine to workout because it inspires me to be strong and keep showing up for myself. You can check them out here!
3. Tell your family and friends so they can be your cheerleaders.
Tell someone in your life about your new dedication to this exercise program and ask for their support!
We often try to go at these types of things alone. But I know from experience that having someone share this journey with you—whether it’s a sibling, spouse, child, neighbor, or coworker—helps you stay encouraged and supported throughout.
They don’t need all the nitty gritty details, just sharing your excitement and desire for a cheerleader on the sidelines can be enough!
Also, this helps the people you live with to know to give you space and not to bother you while you are in the workout zone. Working out without distraction is most certainly helpful.
I always make sure to tell my family when I am working out, so they know to give me space. I will often tell them, “All I need is 15 minutes, so check back with me then and I will be fully present to answer your question or help you with whatever you need.”
So, hopefully this blog has given you the information you need to get started making an exercise routine part of your daily life. We are always here to help you and answer any questions. So please don’t hesitate to reach out! Email us at info@getautoimmunestrong.com.
Andrea's Autoimmune Healing Journey
Watch the video below to hear all about Andrea’s healing journey
Can you tell when a flare-up is coming on?
I’ve worked with thousands of members of the Autoimmune Strong community from all over the world; people of different ages, genders, backgrounds, and autoimmune or chronic pain diagnoses.
My diverse experience lends itself to helping people move past the stage of understanding what a flare-up is, to the point of even being able to predict when a flare-up is coming on.
What are the warning signs of a flare-up?
Often, the warning signs are small and we typically push them aside. But if we know what to look for and we are in tune with our bodies, we can start paying more attention and learn how to prevent a flare-up.
Look for cues like:
Feeling “run down” or like a “cold or flu is coming on”
Exhaustion and fatigue, more than usual
The feeling of being “really stressed out”
Overwhelming feelings of emotions, feeling easily saddened or angry
Intense sugar, salt or chocolate cravings
Intense hunger, or complete lack of hunger
Increased anxiety, depression or feelings of panic
If you start feeling the onslaught of any of these warning signs, then a flare-up is probably on its way. THIS is the time to start listening to your body and taking some rest time.
It’s no easy feat to read our body and understand our signals. And even if we DO recognize the warning signs, it’s often difficult to slow down, to stop, and to rest and recover.
BUT- if we don’t do that, problems will set in. Because if the warning signs are ignored, the real flare-up symptoms start kicking in and it’s too late for prevention.
The hardest part about flare-ups is the toll they take on our emotions, our relationships, and our identities. In my darkest times, I struggled with exhaustion, physical discomfort symptoms, anxiety and panic attacks.
I lived in a cycle. I would try to live my life the way I wanted, with no regards to my body’s limits. I would say yes to everything! And I would ignore those subtle indicators, I would keep pushing through, and soon enough the flare-up would hit and I would be stuck in a bed, with the lights out and a pillow over my eyes. I went from a person who enjoyed life, to someone who could barely muster up any energy at all.
I said no to everything. Girls night out, date nights, playing with my kids, sex- everything was just too difficult. And this led to a symptom that isn't listed here, but is probably more catastrophic. That symptom is called shame.
You see, all I wanted was to participate in my life fully and do all the things, but every time I tried, it would always end up in disaster. I felt like it was my fault; that I was lazy, broken, ruined, and that I was never going to get better.
Do you feel this way now?
If so, I just want to give you a hug through the screen and tell you that I see you, you are not alone, and that it does get better.
There is a possibility for light at the end of the tunnel.
I started Autoimmune Strong because I was lost. It jump started my journey back to strength and an understanding and appreciation for my body. From the knowledge I’ve gained through my research and training, I’ve come to realize that while our flare-ups may manifest differently, the right type of exercise can help all of us with autoimmune disease or chronic pain to live a life of more ease.
Using 15-minute exercises that are easy to do at home, Autoimmune Strong provides a combination of strength, flexibility and mobility routines that will help your body regain strength, reduce pain, and increase energy. We do all of this while keeping you safe from exercise-induced flare-ups. I hope you’ll join us!
Our Three Most Commonly Asked Questions About Flare-ups
If you’ve heard the term “flare-up” in relation to your autoimmune disease or chronic pain, you’ve probably got plenty of questions about what they are, how to prevent them, or lessen them when they do occur. For those who are new to flare-ups, we use this term often to describe when autoimmune symptoms are aggravated and “flare,” alerting us that something is off balance. These symptoms can take many forms, from exhaustion and muscle pain, to flu-like symptoms and gastrointestinal distress. Because flare-ups are sometimes hard to define, or their root cause is hard to decipher, they’re a topic we discuss often here at Autoimmune Strong!
Here are our answers to the the three most common questions we get at Autoimmune Strong:
1. How long do flare-ups last?
Flare-ups can be chronic or acute. That means that for some people, they come and go infrequently, while for others, they come on strong and stay on for a long period of time.
Flare-ups can last anywhere between a day and a year, or maybe even longer.
Not only does the length vary, but the intensity of the flare-up can vary as well. For some people, they can feel the flare-up effects but still be able to push through their lives. While for others, they feel completely wiped out and are bed ridden. This flare-up response varies from person to person and sometimes from flare-up to flare-up.
For some people, a flare-up can come right away. Or sometimes there is a delayed reaction and it can appear a few days after a triggering incident.
And for many people, it may seem like flare-ups are unpredictable, that they can pop up at any time for seemingly no reason at all. The worst feeling is when you assume that flare-ups will only occur in difficult moments of life. But they can also come during good and happy times as well! Often, the most exciting and busy times are exactly when flare-ups happen.
And when you know that a flare-up can happen at any moment without notice...well...it produces a life filled with fear and stress. How could it not?
Just knowing that a flare-up might be lurking is what it felt like when you were a little kid thinking there is a monster under their bed while trying to go to sleep.
The cycle of flare-ups remains persistent when we live with the unknown—that unpredictable feeling of something lurking around the corner.
2. Can you predict a flare-up?
OK, enough about monsters under the bed! Here’s the good news: flare-ups are actually predictable. You can train your body to understand when they will strike. The first step in reading our warning signs for flare-ups is to remove the fear of the unknown. Begin identifying your own personal flare-up signals, so you can read the warning signs and stop them before they begin.
3. What triggers flare-ups? How can you identify these stressors?
Did you know that stress is the most common trigger of autoimmune disease symptom flare-ups? Essentially, a stressed system leads to a stressed out body.
Now, we typically think of stress as a frazzled person going about their day with too little time, too many commitments, and running on an empty tank. Consider the image in your head of someone working too many long hours, sitting in traffic, not getting enough sleep and other instances when they may feel like they’re burning the candle at both ends.
OR we think of this person as emotionally stressed: struggling with relationships, and managing parenting and elder care. There are alllll types of stress. Unfortunately, as I’m sure you know by now, it can take on many forms!
So how can you identify the stressors in your own life?
First, let’s talk about external stressors, which we can’t avoid. I also call these environmental stressors because the physical stress we experience is caused by the environment around us. Things like mold, exposure to chemicals, radiation, and weather fluctuations are good examples of external stressors.
Then there are the internal stressors. There are two kinds: physical and mental/emotional.
As you might assume by the name, physical stressors cause stress to our bodies. Physical activity/exertion like exercise, or daily physical activities such as grocery shopping, can be physical stressors. Oftentimes, the activity you choose requires more energy than you have in your reserves, which means that you put stress on your body by forcing it to produce more energy faster than it should.
This pressure of asking your body to produce more energy than it is capable of is overexertion that causes stress. Beyond an intense workout or day filled with too many errands on your feet, there are many other kinds of physical stressors like the flu, which puts stress on your immune system. Injury, surgery, even childbirth—these are all examples of physical stressors that can overwhelm and overtax your body’s stress response.
Mental/emotional stress on the other hand, is the most commonly thought of kind of stress. Stress caused by relationship issues, money troubles, work pressures, family concerns, childhood issues (traumatic or not)—all of these and more can create a system of stress in your body, causing your immune system to flare.
Phew! That’s a lot of information to take in. But in beginning to consider what types of stressors are out there in the world, you’ll be able to start thinking about what stressors you have in your own life.
If we never acknowledge our personal stressors, we won’t be able to work up to cracking the code of autoimmune flare-ups. It’s the first step on your journey to a more active, pain-free future!
The #1 trigger for autoimmune flare-ups
It may seem funny for me to confess as a fitness instructor, right off the bat, that EXERCISE is the number one stressor that leads to autoimmune flare-ups.
You may be thinking, “then what’s the point of a fitness course?” Well...let me explain.
Exercise puts intense stress on your body if you haven’t adapted to that level of intensity. This is a common autoimmune side effect known as exercise intolerance.
When we talk about the flare-up signals [insert blog #3 link], we mean that these signals, these symptoms, correspond to an increase of stress. They go hand in hand.
Well, that’s because stress is the number one trigger of a flare-up. And exercise (or any kind of physical activity for that matter) puts stress on the body if the body is not adapted to that stress.
Exercise is an example of physical stress.
We all have a stress tolerance threshold, and if we exceed that threshold, our body reacts in a flare-up and shuts down for protection.
Exercise, or any kind of physical activity, even just doing the dishes, contributes to the amount of stress and pressure we are putting on our sensitive bodies, and is often the straw that breaks the camel's back.
It’s important to understand that our bodies don’t compartmentalize our stress. One life stress piles on top of another life stress on top of another life stress, until you have reached your maximum level of stress tolerance. Once you reach that maximum and then you add more stress on top? Well, that’s the flare-up tipping point.
This is exercise intolerance, a very common side effect of autoimmune disease and chronic illness.
This is the cycle that happens when you live with exercise intolerance. This means that when you live with autoimmune disease, your body has less tolerance to handle exercise and movement. It means that physical activity could be too much for your body to handle and it can be the final trigger for that flare-up that sends you to bed for the whole weekend.
It might seem that this cycle of stress to flare-up to bed to recover and begin again is the only option, the only way to get through the demands of everyday life.
But did you know that EVEN THOUGH you have an autoimmune disease and your body is more susceptible to things like exercise intolerance and maxing out due to stress, that it DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY? If exercise is done in a way that works the body within its level of tolerance, instead of being triggering, it can actually be transformative!
You CAN handle more stress, with less risk of flare-up, and with less intense flare-ups. I call this: training for everyday life.
If you want to be able to do all the things you want to do in one day, you have to train for it. You have to teach your body to handle these movements and to process the stress these movements add.
To do this, you have to work within the limits of your body, exposing your body to small, micro-doses of exercise so that your body can slowly adapt and increase its tolerance level a teeny tiny bit at a time. And only then will you find your day to day experience easier with fewer flare-ups. This is the KEY to flare-up prevention.
Ready to learn the right way to exercise and prevent flare-ups? At Autoimmune Strong, we turn the number one trigger for flare-ups into your greatest superpower!
5 Signs You’re Ready To Start Feeling Good In Your Body Again
Whether you’ve recently learned of your autoimmune disease or chronic illness diagnosis, have been living with a diagnosis for years, or are just beginning to explore these topics as a possible cause for your symptoms, there’s no doubt that you want to feel better in your body.
You’re probably at the point of experiencing regular flare-ups, where your body feels like it’s yelling at you to stop what you’re doing and hide under the covers! Living in this cycle of pushing your body to do what it’s “expected” to do, becoming exhausted, in pain, or frustrated, and then attempting it all over again the next day is no way to live.
We often find ourselves frustrated and complacent, wanting to give up. Feeling like we just have to accept that our bodies will always feel this way, and that we have no choice in how our bodies feel. We often find ourselves accepting that we will live our lives uncomfortable and in pain.
I felt like this, just a few years ago. My body hurt, all the time. I was exhausted, all the time- except when it was time for bed, when I would experience anxiety and insomnia. I had trouble being my perky old self. I felt like I was faking it. I felt like I was watching my life pass me by.
And then, one day, something happened. Something changed in me, and I knew I was ready for something more. I woke up one day, in so much pain, and as I got dressed for just another day of sameness, I realized that I hated feeling this way, and I felt a fire in me like never before. I decided I was done with feeling this way. I didn’t know how I was going to make my self feel better, but I knew that I was ready to feel better. This was the pivotal moment when my life changed.
Here are the 5 Signs That You Are Ready To Feel Better In Your Body!
Awareness: You are becoming aware of all the things that are happening around you, that you aren’t participating in. Awareness is the first step, opening your eyes to the life you are living, and acknowledging that it’s not the way you want to be living your life.
Tuning In: You are recognizing that it’s your physical body that is limiting what you can do in your everyday life. You begin to tune in to how your body feels, rather than being numb to the pain. This feels terrible, but it’s actually a good thing, and it’s the beginning stage of learning to listen to your body.
Dissatisfaction: Gone are the days of la-dee-da, going through the motions of resting, saying no, of being a spectator of life instead of a participant. You aren’t sure how you are going to make a change, but you know you aren’t satisfied with where you are at.
Searching: You start searching for things that you hope might help you to feel better. You ask your doctors, your friends, your Facebook groups, and google.
Wanting Answers: You are ready for answers as to why your body feels like this, and what you can do to change it. This is an inner readiness, and it’s hard to describe, but you know it when you feel it.
So, If you’ve found yourself saying:
I am ready to feel different, but I don’t know where to begin.
I’m afraid to make changes because in the past, I have tried and it didn’t work.
Exercise is probably important to break the cycle I’m in, but I don’t know what to do.
I deserve a life filled with strength, energy, and vitality.
I want to say YES to doing all the things in my life that I want to do.
Then YOU are ready to begin your road to feeling good in your body!
Here’s the thing: You will always have an autoimmune disease (or multiple, if that’s the case). But it doesn’t have to always rule your life. There are lifestyle changes that you can make, small baby steps that you can do to begin feeling good.
But, knowing that you are ready is the first, most important piece of the puzzle. Because habit changes are hard to sustain, unless you have that inner feeling, that internal resolve to make change happen. It doesn’t have to be a loud booming feeling, a teeny tiny inkling that change would feel good is all you need! So, if you have any of these 5 signs happening in your life, then you are ready for good things to come your way.
If you feel that exercise is the way you want to begin your journey to feeling good in your body, then come join us! Click here to learn about our Autoimmune Strong membership options.
How to Get A Strong Core: Abdominal Bracing!
This exercise is a perfect illustration of the kinds of exercise we teach here at Autoimmune Strong. Abdominal bracing is effective at building deep core strength, without taking up too much time or too much energy.
With gentle yet effective exercises, we can build up our exercise tolerance and feel better in our bodies.
Watch the first video below to learn all about ab bracing!
Watch the second video below if you want to learn how to do this same amazing exercise standing up.
Give ab bracing a try and tell me how it feels!
Questions? Email us at info@getautoimmunestrong.com.
How Your Personality Type Can Trigger a Flare-Up
After working with thousands of members of Autoimmune Strong, people from all over the globe with a variety of different autoimmune diseases, exercise histories, ages and backgrounds, I have found that there are 2 opposite ways people approach exercise.
And it actually isn’t about exercise at all. It’s about daily physical activity, along with corresponding mental energy output.
We don’t think of daily physical activity as exercise, but it is… and it matters. Because the amount of physical activity influences your ability to tolerate stress, extra emotional or physical demands, and exercise. THIS is important, because if your body can’t tolerate these things, it will respond by putting you in an exercise induced symptom flare up, which means that your autoimmune symptoms get worse.
The two types of personalities are:
The Over-Doer
The Under-Doer
Let’s break them down here:
An over-doer is typically someone with a type A personality, who can often be defined as an energizer bunny. This kind of personality takes pride in being able to do it all, and wants to be able to live a full and active life. An over-doer is emotionally invested in working hard and doing things well, sometimes with a perfectionist tendency. This can be seen in how they move throughout the day at work, at home, and at the gym. They like to work hard, and get things done, often at the expense of their bodies. This kind of personality often ignores the early flare-up signals like headaches, sore muscles and fatigue and pushes through until they crash. They don’t often take enough time to rest and recover, and they feel guilty for being “lazy”.
An under-doer is the opposite. This kind of personality is very attuned to their body’s symptoms and because of their pain, fatigue, and other symptoms like joint problems, it’s hard for this person to do much activity. It often feels more comfortable to sit in one place than to move about. Daily activities like cleaning the house or going to the supermarket feels hard and draining. They know that their body needs rest, and they lack the physical energy to be able to push through the things they want to do. They feel guilty for not being able to be helpful.
At first glance, over-doers and under-doers seem like drastically different people. However, they are most often dealing with the same kind of pain and physical discomfort as a result of their autoimmune disease symptoms, these are just two different ways of handling it. There is a continuum between over-doer and under-doer, and most people fall somewhere in between. But these are the basic definitions, and understanding which you are (or whether you are both) will help you figure out what your body needs in order to take the next steps to get out of the over-doer or under-doer cycle.
So, what are these next steps?
In some ways the next steps are both the same for under-doers and over-doers, and in other ways they are different.
Over-doers:
Check in on your movement patterns. Are you pushing yourself physically to the brink? It can be from exercise or through daily activity. Are you always feeling depleted?
Stop and breathe. Notice where you hold tension and how you are breathing naturally. Try to incorporate deep breathing as a reminder to slow down
Train your body through exercise. The key for over-doers is to let go of the “more is better” notion related to exercise. The goal is to do just enough exercise to keep your muscles strong and your endurance up so that you can withstand the demands of your everyday life without having that flare-up crash.
Under-doers:
Check in on your movement patterns. Are you sitting or lying down a lot because moving is hard for your body? Changes in posture, and pain in your back, joints or neck is often due to lack of movement.
Confront your fear. Exercise and/or the demands of daily life may be daunting. It can be difficult to even think of breaking the pattern. Take a few deep breaths a day and think about how you can move past what has sidelined you in the past.
Train your body through exercise Traditional fitness, the kind that may cause you fear, is not the way. Gentle strength building exercise is what you need, to start strengthening your muscles again, which will actually relieve a lot of the pain you are experiencing.
Autoimmune Strong provides exercise that fits both the over-doer and the under-doer… because the foundation of Autoimmune Strong is based on a few principles that spans across all types of bodies. We teach our members how to listen to their bodies and find their capacity for exercise, which is different for each person and can vary from 5 seconds a day to a half hour a day. We teach exercises that are gentle yet effective, that can easily be fit into a daily habit. We show you how a little bit of the “right” kind of exercise can go a long way in getting your body stronger and ready to live the life you want. Changing is hard, especially when you are living in pain and flare-up, but Autoimmune Strong is here to show you a new way.
Are you ready to join us and learn a new way of exercising? Come join us! Click here to learn about our membership options.
The #1 Thing You Want To Avoid When Exercising With Autoimmune Disease
When I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder (actually, I have two hashimotos, celiac, and also fibromyalgia) my doctor told me to go exercise. He said that exercise was good for me, and it would help me feel healthier and manage my autoimmune symptoms.
And this is true. Many studies have been done that demonstrate the positive effects of exercise on people living with an autoimmune disease. Some of these positive effects include increased energy, reduced fatigue, reduced anxiety and depression, improvement in sleep quality, and an overall reduction in pain.
HOWEVER. Every time I started an exercise routine, it went like this. I would go to the gym, do some cardio and some weights, or take a class, and I would come home feeling great. I would go back the next day, and the next day after that and then Boom! I would wake up feeling awful, and I would realize I was having a symptom flare-up. My body would then require an intense bout of rest to recover from this flare, which would sometimes last for weeks. When I finally would feel better, I would say to myself- “Ok, time to go back to the gym”. And the cycle would start all over again.
It took me forever to make the important connection that it was my gym habits that were causing my flare-ups. I was experiencing an exercise-induced symptom flare-up, and I had no idea.
I want to share my story to help build awareness around this issue. I am not the only one who struggles with exercise-induced symptom flare-ups. In fact, anyone living with an autoimmune disorder and/or chronic illness like Lyme disease or fibromyalgia is susceptible to an exercise-induced symptom flare-up, no matter how much they exercise or how strong they are.
What Is an Exercise-Induced Symptom Flare-Up?
Most simply put, it is a symptom flare-up of the disease that is caused by exercise. But let’s break that down a bit.
People who live with an autoimmune disease and other chronic illness are intimately connected with the concept of a flare-up. We have all been there, right? When you have been feeling ok, and then all of a sudden you feel awful? That awful feeling is a flare-up.
Flare-ups look a little different for each person, depending on the individual disease (for example, a Crohn’s flare-up has some symptoms that are different from a Hashimotos flare-up) but generally, they look like this: exhaustion, muscle aches, painful body that is tender to the touch, lack of ability to function normally, along with heightened anxiety, depression and/or sadness.
Flare-ups can be caused by a wide variety of factors that can range from the change in seasons to eating certain foods. Basically, anything that puts stress on the body can cause a symptom flare-up. Stress has been well documented as a trigger of an autoimmune disease symptom flare-up. And while there is a growing amount of research linking exercise directly to the experience of an autoimmune flare, the connection is obvious.
Exercise IS stress on the body. That is the goal of exercise- to put the body under stress, so the body can adapt to the stress. In this adaptation, change happens- our muscles get stronger, our heart and lungs work more easily and efficiently, our body is better able to regulate hormones, and on and on. All of these adaptations are wonderful- these are the things our doctors want us to experience, to increase our healthfulness.
However, to get these benefits of exercise, we have to actually perform an exercise, which causes a temporary increase in cortisol in our system. And for people with autoimmune conditions, that increase in cortisol (otherwise known as our stress hormone) can be too much for our system to handle. As I said before, stress (otherwise known as cortisol increases) can trigger autoimmune symptoms. This is how exercise-induced symptom flare-ups happen.
Should I Stop Exercising to Prevent Exercise-Induced Symptom Flare-Ups?
No! Absolutely not. As my doctor said, exercise is beneficial for those of us living with an autoimmune disease. If done properly, not only can exercise provide long-term overall health benefits, but it can also help us manage our specific autoimmune symptoms and flare-ups. Chronic pain and autoimmune conditions are exacerbated by inflammation, and, if done properly, exercise can help to reduce inflammation and pain caused by inflammation.
Additionally, the right exercises can teach our bodies to adapt to a pain response, which can help us get through the pain and exhaustion of our daily activities. Our bodies need to learn to be comfortable being uncomfortable in a safe, protected way so that when we are exposed to discomfort in our daily lives, our bodies are prepared to handle it.
So definitely do not stop exercising. In fact, if you stop exercising, your physical aches and pains will actually increase over time. The goal here is to exercise daily, doing the right kind of exercise, to help your body reduce the pain experience and increase healthfulness.
What if I am Overwhelmed and Don’t Know Where to Start?
Remember, you just need to exercise in a way that is proper for your body. You need to exercise in a way that puts enough pressure on your body to create the need for adaptation, without stimulating a cortisol increase within your system.
But if this feels overwhelming to you and you don’t know where to start, don’t worry! Autoimmune Strong and the whole Autoimmune Strong community is heare for you!
Using 15-minute exercises that are easy to do at home, Autoimmune Strong provides a combination of strength, flexibility and mobility routines that will help your body gain strength, reduce pain, and increase energy- all while keeping you safe from exercise-induced flare-ups.
All the videos are taught by me, a certified personal trainer with an expertise in autoimmune and chronic pain exercise. And I live with chronic pain too. So I know firsthand how you feel and how you need to move. In fact, this is the program I designed for myself, to start on my journey back to strength.
The Top 5 Reasons Exercise Hasn’t Worked For You In The Past
What sets Autoimmune Strong apart from other workout programs?
Well, good question.
The number #1 thing that sets Autoimmune Strong apart from other exercise programs is the emphasis on this phrase:
“Listen to Your Body”
I say this phrase ALL THE TIME. But I want to explain a little bit about what it really means.
You see, most other traditional and mainstream workout programs teach you to ignore the signals your body is sending. They teach you to push through the pain. To do more than you think you are capable of doing.
These are some common phrases we hear:
“Keep Pushing!”
“Don’t Stop Now!”
“Don’t Give Up On Yourself!”
Now, I understand completely why this is the advice being given. Because the way exercise works- the way you can make effective change to your body- is by volume. The more exercise you do, the stronger you will become. These trainers and workout programs are trying to get you to do more so that you gain more volume in your workout, so you can get results quickly and fulfill their promise of rapid physical change, such as losing a lot of weight or gaining those ever coveted 6 pack abs.
However, these programs, with this kind of “push through the pain” attitude, can be harmful for people living with autoimmune disease. Here are the 5 reasons why.
The Challenge Is Too Much: Most exercise programs are designed to be more aggressive both in pacing and in difficulty of the moves themselves than many people can handle. They don’t offer alternatives or modifications. They start at what they call an easy level- but “easy” for a fitness professional is not often “easy” for real people. So- from the very first day, we are given a challenge that is far too advanced for us. The motto of “no pain no gain” tells us that we should push through this great challenge and that are our body will adapt- and while sometimes that’s true- sometimes it’s not, especially for people living with autoimmune disease. That’s because of exercise intolerance.
Exercise Intolerance. This is commonly experienced but rarely discussed side effect of autoimmune disease. That’s because autoimmune disease symptoms are triggered by stress- and one form of stress on the body is exercise. Yep- you got it right- exercise = stress. That’s actually what makes exercise work; exercise is effective because it adds stress to the body, and that kind of positive stress can create positive change, like stronger muscles. However, there is a bell curve to this- and at some point, this kind of exercise stress is no longer positive, instead, it becomes negative. It becomes too much stress on the body, and the body becomes overwhelmed and overtaxed- and that’s when a flare-up happens. It comes to shut the body down so it can recover and get back to the baseline of homeostasis. So, this encouragement to push through can actually backfire- and cause a flare-up that sidelines you for weeks, days, even months.
Our Internal Fear Response. We live in a world where this kind of “no pain no gain” messaging is pervasive. So, we give it a try. It doesn’t work and we feel worse. Then we rest and recover and repeat- with the same results. This creates a cycle of fear, which we often misread as a “lack of motivation or willpower”. We want to exercise, but we lack the motivation or willpower to do it. We often blame this on ourselves (more on this in #3 below) but really- it’s our body creating this lack of motivation as a protective measure. Our bodies are so smart, and we have pain memories… and we remember how awful our exercise induced symptom flare-ups have been. So our bodies are resistant to exercise, because they don’t want to be thrown into a spin cycle again- and THIS is where the lack of motivation comes from. It’s actually a fear response. We are subconsciously fearful of what the exercise will do to us- and what setbacks we will experience.
Our Shame Cycle. So, we are experiencing this lack of motivation, triggered by the subconscious fear response and protective measure- yet we are still living in this world that makes us feel like we are “lazy” if we don’t exercise. We get stuck in a shame cycle, where we feel like we should be exercising, but we really don’t want to- and then we feel guilt and shame for not doing it. We beat ourselves up for not doing “enough” but when we try to do more we feel pain. We watch other people be able to exercise this way, and we get frustrated because we can’t. We feel like we are doing something wrong, or that we just aren’t pushing ourselves hard enough. This guilt and shame can be exacerbated if the people around you simply don’t understand how exercise can exacerbate the autoimmune symptoms. These people are often well meaning, but their words of encouragement are often just echoing the “no pain no gain” methods of exercise, which can make us feel even worse when we can’t keep up.
Mistrusting Our Own Internal Cues. This confusion, where we feel like we should be doing exercise like the doctors and the fitness professionals tell us- but we know we can’t- but we feel we must- all it does it lead us to mistrust our own internal cues. We believe that the professionals know more than we do, so we ignore our own intuition and continue to follow their lead. Over time, the mistrust of our body’s internal cues grow and it bleeds into other areas of our lives, where we do too much, we push too hard, and then we flare as a result.
You see, we blame ourselves for not being able to stick to an exercise routine, for not being able to be consistent with our exercise- but it’s that old saying “It’s Not You...” Because it might FEEL like it’s your fault- but it’s actually not your fault at all. It’s the fault of the exercise program itself, for pushing your body too hard, for asking you to do exercises that are more challenging than you are ready for, for not taking your pain into account, and most importantly- for teaching you to ignore your own internal physical cues.
In Autoimmune Strong, we do things differently. We teach you to unravel these old thought patterns, so you can open your body up to a new kind of exercise experience. We offer exercises with lots of pacing and motivation options- so you can pick the one that suits you best, so you don’t have to push. Our exercises are both quick and effective, so you don’t have to overwhelm the body to get strong. Our goal is to give you the tools to learn to listen to your body and those internal pain cues- and know what to do when your body sends you signals. It’s time to try something new!
Our New Year's Resolutions Are Crushing us
For so many of us, we start off each new year in the same way. Here’s what happens:
In the week between Christmas and New Years, we start feeling badly about our bodies. Our bodies hurt, we are in pain and exhausted. The holiday season is exhausting, we have over-eaten and over-drank, and we spent all our energy shopping for the perfect gifts (and shipping them, which is always the biggest hassle). The pressure of the holidays, combined with the shift into winter, is detrimental for so many people, especially those of us who live with autoimmune disease.
The holidays are stressful and we don’t take care of ourselves… so by the time January comes we are exhausted, spent, depleted. And our brains begin to panic. We start feeling like we need to fix everything, and stat. We feel extra “lazy” “out of shape” and “disgusted with ourselves”, and we start making statements like “This is the year when I lose the weight” or “This is the year I get in shape”. We then go into overdrive trying to make this happen for ourselves, looking for quick results to feel better. We hit the gym, with the goal of working out more or we start a diet… and this always leads to crash, burn, flare-up. We feel worse rather than better.
The media messaging capitalizes on this, selling us fitness equipment and gym memberships and diet programs up the wazoo, to make us feel like if we just worked harder, exercised more, we would look and feel differently.
But instead what happens is that we go at it too hard, and we fizzle.
You see, we are already depleted from the holidays. Our bodies are exhausted from the stress and busy-ness of the holidays, and what we really need is recovery. Our anxiety spikes when we are in depletion mode, which is where these negative self-criticisms come from in the first place.
So when we push ourselves to exercise harder or to eat less food, and our bodies are already feeling depleted, our bodies rebel. Our bodies are trying to say “enough!” Because we live with autoimmune disease- if we push ourselves too hard and ignore that voice telling us that recovery is needed, our bodies will end up taking over and ignite an autoimmune symptom flare-up. That means, our body triggers a flare-up that will force you to take the rest and recovery time it requires.
Has this happened to you before? I bet it has. Here are my 3 tips for doing things differently, so that you can actually feel good about yourself in the new year.
Recover first. Your body needs to replenish after the December rush. Take a few weeks to focus on sleep, healthy eating (think protein, fruit and veggies), and hydration. Don’t restrict on calories, just think instead about selecting foods that nourish you. Sugary sweets and carb cravings are a sign that your body is depleted, so if you take the time to rest, recover and eat healthy foods, your body’s sugar cravings will subside naturally.
Listen to your body. When these inner anxious thoughts happen, they tend to take over. They are hard to ignore. So don’t ignore them. Instead, use them as a cue. If these thoughts come up, pay attention. Take a breath and ask yourself- “What am I feeling right now?” I bet you’ll find that what you are feeling is something like overwhelm or exhaustion. Acknowledge that, and instead of trying to restrict your food or hit the gym when you are exhausted, ask yourself, how can I modify that in a way that is restorative?
Exercise Daily. I know I know, this whole blog is about not pushing yourself hard to exercise. But that doesn’t mean don’t do anything at all! Movement is essential for healthy living. But there is a happy medium between crushing it at the gym and doing nothing. So, think small. Start with some nourishing stretches and a few strengthening moves. Start with just a few minutes a day and see how that feels. No flare? Then great, you can add a little more to your routine. (Want to exercise like this but don’t know where to start? Let Autoimmune Strong help!)
Think about January as a reset- but ease your way into it. The themes should be rest, recovery, rejuvenation! Let’s break this new year's resolution cycle once and for all, and actually start the new year feeling good. Because let’s be honest, we are all ready to kick 2020 to the curb and ring in 2021 with excitement!
The Importance of Proper Rest and Recovery Days When Living with Autoimmune Disease
Here at Autoimmune Strong, we believe in the importance of “training for everyday life”. The idea here is that we need to exercise and train our bodies for the physical demands of our day to day activities, just like an athlete would train for the physical demands of his or her job.
As a coach and personal trainer who specializes in working with people with autoimmune disease, I encourage folks to do a little bit of exercise each day, consistently throughout the week, so that we are able to increase our body’s strength, flexibility and mobility over time. The goal here is to gain strength, energy and physical capacity, so that the physical demands of running errands, playing with our kids or grandkids, or going for a walk doesn’t completely wipe us out. (If you want to know more about the concept of training for everyday life, you can learn more here)
When we think of strength training, we always think of the exercises. We think about what we need to do in order to get stronger. But in actuality, there are two components that are necessary for strength training: exercise and recovery. Exercise and recovery must go hand in hand in order for us to build the strength and energy that we need.
In the previous blog post, I talked about exercise. Here, I want to talk about rest and recovery.
So many people think of resting as being lazy. As giving up. As not trying. This is a misperception, an incorrect notion. A body needing rest is not a weakness. It is an essential component of both exercise training and basic self-care.
In the same way that we need to exercise and train like an athlete to be able to handle the physical demands of life, we also need to take rest and recovery days, just like an athlete does. This is an important part of increasing strength and without rest and recovery, we completely deplete ourselves of energy, which ultimately lands us back on the couch with a flare… and nobody wants that.
So, let’s go deeper into why we need to alternate our exercise days with rest and recovery days.
Think of the body like a machine- like a car for example. We have a certain amount of energy available to us, just like a car has in it’s gas tank. When we exercise or have a demanding day (either physically or mentally) our body uses up energy. Now, when you use up the gas in your gas tank, what do you do? You head to the gas station and refill. Yet we don’t often do this with our bodies. We often push our bodies day after day without replenishing the energy stores. Eventually we are going to end up with an empty tank, which is where the exhaustion, fatigue and flare-up comes in.
The tricky thing with the human body is that we have something that a car does not- a back-up energy source. This makes it more difficult for us to tell if we have depleted our main energy source. Here’s what happens. We deplete our main stores of energy, and our body begins to send messages that it needs recovery time. These messages can look like exhaustion, sugar cravings, a bad mood, body aches, a headache, joint pain, and other such symptoms. Typically, these symptoms are slight and somewhat easy to ignore- and they also can trigger our backup energy source. If we keep ignoring those exhaustion signals and push through, we often experience “a second wind” which helps us power through the physical and emotional demands of the day. That second wind comes from adrenaline, and while it feels like energy (and often feels like a really good, productive, super-human kind of energy)- it’s actually a sign that we are so depleted that we will soon crash out. We only have a small amount of adrenaline reserves and once they are gone, that’s when the real flare sets in and we experience true exhaustion and other uncomfortable symptoms.
So, factoring in rest and recovery days are very important- even if you think you don’t need them. We need to rest and recover BEFORE the situation gets desperate and our body calls upon adrenaline to come in for backup.
This isn’t just important for restoring your energy levels, it’s also important for muscular recovery. Our muscle fibers break down during movement and that’s actually how they get strong- as they break down, they have to re-build, and as they re-build, they knit themselves together in a stronger, more durable way. If we don’t rest, then the body continues to break down without moving into it’s re-build state, which is not a good thing. Our rest days give our muscles the time to recover and re-build and create strength.
Now- this is important point. A rest day doesn’t just mean taking a rest from your daily exercise routine. This means taking a true rest and recovery day, from all things demanding.
Jenessa, an Autoimmune Strong member, shared this on the members only Facebook page and I think it covers this topic nicely:
Yesterday (day 7) was the kind of day I used to think of as a rest day, back when I started AIS: a day when I didn’t do AIS exercises because I needed to do too many other physical things that day. I’ve realized that that isn’t really a rest day, since I’m not resting, I’m just busy! So today I’m going to take a real rest day.
A rest day is not a recovery day simply because you are not doing exercise. It actually needs to be a day when you slow down and give your body time to recover.
This is especially true if we have had a very busy week- whether it’s busy with stressful things or happy things- the busy-ness still uses up energy that we need to restore. So, if there is something different about the week, like a birthday event or a work deadline or a trip of some kind- I do not recommend pushing forward, and I encourage you to take extra rest days until the big thing passes. Any event can cause stress- even happy ones! And so we want to manage your stress levels and keep the demands on your body in check until this event passes.
Hopefully this helps give you extra insight into when and why we need extra rest days, and how to make that decision for yourself. There is no badge for busy-ness and pushing through, our job is to give our body what it needs so it can replenish and restore itself, so we can continue living the life we want.
There are going to be some weeks where you need a little extra rest and recovery. I hope that this blog gives you permission to take those extra days when you need them and gives you the ability to give yourself some grace, love and understanding on those harder days. Rest days are self-love days, just like exercise days. They go together hand in hand.
Autoimmune Strong is an online exercise program designed specifically FOR people living with chronic illness, BY a personal trainer who lives with multiple autoimmune diseases herself. Click here to learn more about Autoimmune Strong.