Stressed and sick?

As you know I am off season from my lifting. This doesn't mean I am not training at all, it just means that I am taking a break from my usual regime and letting the body and mind recover. I have loosened up my nutrition somewhat and am relaxing in general. I finished my competitive season almost 5 weeks ago, and over the past week I have been quite unwell. It is the return of an old illness and nothing that can't be managed but it got me thinking why has it happened now? Given the way I push myself when I am leading up to a comp, you would think that the joints would give in under heavy squatting, not from sleeping in and going out with friends.

Before my last comp I had great plans of spending my off season working on my business, doing lots of fun training, eating out and going to all the parties that I always say no to. However I wonder if my jumping straight back into a whole series of different activities was too much for my mind and body to cope with? My body is telling me to slow down, and these days I certainly listen to it, as I appreciate that my health is the most important thing I have in my life (outside of family).

So here is the question I put to myself....." am I run down from the past year, or am I run down from the past 15 years?"

Every client I see shows signs of stress and some even adrenal fatigue. Why would I be any different to everyone else? These past few days when I haven't "worked" I have needed to clean my apartment, drop my teenagers to multiple destinations (twice at 4.30am!!), return phone calls that I have put off, shop for food, arrange a new mobile for my daughter who lost hers on sat, have a physio session on my elbow, have an acupuncture session, train, and go to the Uni PL club to help a client lifting in 4 weeks. The things I didn't get around to like finish my taxes, buying a new outfit for Melb cup (might have to recycle), cleaning the car will just be put back on the list of things to do. There is nothing special about this list, and it is a similar list that I have been living with for as long as I can remember. This is chronic stress! We all have it, and it makes us sick, and I am sick right now.

When we are sick and stressed we normally take a few days off, lie in bed and when we are feeling better we get back into it, right? Well, I am over it. I currently work part-time (by choice), and rather than plan to rule the world on my days "off", today I have no plans. I need time to pick up the dry cleaning, clean the car, shop for food and all this takes time and stresses me if it is not done. I also need to get well and keep myself healthy. So rather than "days off", maybe I should call them "health investment days".

Stress is a major cause of disease and we can control it so much more than we think, so I am going to practise what I preach and just look after me and my family today - conquering the world will have to wait!

Lisa