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Overcoming obstacles

Posted by on 30 May 2010 | 0 Comments

By Emma Harvie, Fitness Coach, Mind Body Motion We all have a reason for doing what we do - whether it be losing fat, gaining muscle, improving fitness, improving strength or endurance. We all have an end goal in mind and have worked out what we need to do to get there. In fact, an amazing 18 Mind Body Motion clients have made their goals public in the 2010 Achievement Awards. So what do you do when something happens to stop you in your tracks? How do you remain focused on your goals? How do you stay positive? In my case it was a lateral tear of the ankle ligaments (a sprain) which I managed to do jumping on a bosu at a fitness convention (of all places). It means 4-6 weeks off running and any high intensity training. Talk to anyone in the medical profession and they will see this as a reasonably minor sprain, that with the right rehab exercises and physio you can make a full recovery from. I didn't see it that way! My first thought was my health and fitness goals. How could I continue to lose weight without being able to do any of the "big bang" exercises (by this I mean squats, lunges etc which are key to fat loss) and without running or even cycling? How could I run City2Surf if I couldn't train? I allowed myself a day or two of self pity but then it was time to face reality. This was an obstacle I could overcome - plenty of people have overcome so much more! What I needed to do was reassess my goals and come up with a new game plan. Rehab had to become my first priority - 70% of people who sprain the lateral ligaments in their ankle will re-injure themselves within 12 months. So as soon as I was given the all clear to start my rehab exercises I was straight into it. (Note that it is essential to have a doctor or physio give you clearance to start doing any kind of physical exercise after an injury). Second, was nutrition. I've always known that you can't out-train a bad diet and that nutrition was key to me achieving my goals - but I admit having the time and motivation to train twice a day, 5 days a week I had allowed myself a few extra treats! Not being able to train had to mean a fairly strict, clean diet. I went back to keeping a food diary and planned and tracked everything I ate. This is something that I highly recommend to anyone - it is so easy to forget that little piece of chocolate you had when they were offered around the office. It also allows you to learn what works for you - if you write down your food and exercise every day then you can look back to the weeks when you achieved good results and see what worked for you. You can also share it with your trainer as we can suggest areas for improvement if you want a little extra help. The next obstacle to overcome was what to do with my time. I had 4 days on crutches, and then another week of not being able to get around much at all. I was used to training every morning and then going for long walks or a run each afternoon. This was more about my emotional state rather than my goals, but I needed to do something! I started with research - I read up on injuries, rehabilitation and training and worked out a rehab program for myself. I also did a couple of short online courses to help with my next PT accreditation. I've had to learn that it is OK to reassess your goals. I won't be running City2Surf this year, but I will be able to walk it (and perhaps run part of it). Maybe I'll be ready for the Bridge Run in September. It's not quitting or giving up, it's listening to your body and doing what is best in the long term. If you are injured, have a think about what you CAN do. Reassess your goals if you need to. Keep your nutrition on track - see a dietician or a nutritionist if you want some extra help. If you do group classes, perhaps some one on one sessions with your trainer would be suitable (subject to medical clearance) as your program can be tailored to suit you and we may be able to work around your injury as well as help you with rehab to get you back on track faster. Life is always going to throw obstacles in your way - you can't always choose what happens to you, but you can choose how you react. References Garrick JG, Requa RK. The epidemiology of foot and ankle injuries in sports. Clin Sports Med 1988;7(1):29-36. Diamond JE. Rehabilitation of ankle sprains. Clin Sports Med 1989;8:877-891.