The Art of Unlearning
I've been slowly integrating new & unlearning old habits that have been with me for a very long time. And here's where I'm at..
As a recovering early morning riser, (4-4:430ish no alarm) on the daily. I would typically jolt out of bed with an abundance of energy, even experiencing heart palpitations, and the feeling of impending doom, and start my workout by 4:45 and would train fairly intensely until about 6am. This would either be long runs, hikes, 45-90 minute endurance peloton rides, intense strength training, boxing, and really anything that would have me gasping for a breath and drenched in sweat. Because if I wasn’t sweating and breathless then I wasn’t being productive…
The thing about this routine of mine (aside from being both mentally and physically exhausting), my body has been resistant to fat loss, and any chance at changing my composition has been next to impossible, and my energy would literally plummet by late morning. Let the frustration set in…. With chronic exhaustion, depletion, lack of physical change despite all the hard work I had been doing comes the mental struggle, and the body shame - a whole other monster.
By afternoon I'm literally depleted, and fully relying on external fuel sources to keep me going. By the time dinner and bedtime routines come around I'm actually almost delusional. And therefore I am very happy to settle into bed by 8:30/9pm.
The cycle repeats. Until now.
A few months ago, I took a long hard look at what I’ve been doing, what’s been working (not much) and what hasn’t (a lot). And it came to me that if I don’t change something, then nothing will change. You’ve likely heard the famous quote attributed to Albert Einstein, “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”, I’d actually heard this many times before and it wasn’t until recently that it hit.
I started working with a few key people to help me understand more about what's happening in my body and learn how I can change or "rewire" my brain to optimize function and overall health. After all, I no longer want to feel as insane as I have been.
My functional medicine practitioner suggested a DUTCH hormone test (a diagnostic tool used to evaluate hormone levels in the body) and this revealed some excellent data for me. This test provides a deeper understanding of cortisol and cortisone levels, sex hormones, metabolites of estrogens and androgens, melatonin, various nutrition markers, and oxidative stress markers. For me it confirmed that my cortisol levels skyrocket early in the morning and, as mentioned earlier, drop drastically by mid morning and essentially flatline the rest of the day. Yikes! This can be the result of many different circumstances, that eventually over time have rewired my brain and my body. Along with a few supplemental recommendations he has also recommended Neurofeedback Therapy. This is a type of therapy that aims to teach individuals to alter their brain activity to improve mental health conditions, cognitive performance, and overall brain function. It’s grounded in the concept that by gaining awareness of one’s own neural activity, a person can learn to influence and control their brainwaves. I’ll post an update on my experience with this later.
Next, I've been working with Abi Mitchell for live blood analysis and regular Reiki sessions. The information that was revealed through the blood analysis was accurate and was even reiterated on my DUTCH hormone test. It was an excellent tool that allowed me to be more aware of different imbalances that I had been experiencing. Regular Reiki sessions have been a very important piece of the puzzle for me too as they have truly helped me feel a new sense of balance. Reiki is a form of alternative therapy commonly referred to as energy healing. I experience great reduction in stress, increased relaxation, improved sleep and a deep sense of personal awareness with these sessions.
It's definitely a process and something that I’m very invested in working on.
One of the biggest shifts I’ve made is going from the intense workouts to more intuitive exercise. This is hard. Especially as women when we often feel pressure or the need to work harder to get results.
What I’m learning is that my body is in a constant state of “fight or flight”, a physiological reaction that occurs in response to a perceived harmful event, attack, or threat to survival… this is NOT good. When chronically in this state the response is triggered by the release of hormones that prepare your body to either stay and deal with a threat or to run away to safety. Some components of this response include increased heart rate, rapid breathing, release of stored energy, redistribution of blood flow (diverted to non-essential functions), dilation of pupils, perspiration and sharpened mental focus, all initiated by the sympathetic nervous system. Understanding the fight or flight response and learning how to manage it through relaxation techniques, exercise, or therapy can help mitigate the impact of stress onto body and improve overall well-being.
I’m working on staying in bed longer in the morning, and when I experience that feeling of “impending doom” and needing to get up and going, I revert to breath work. Deep inhale, hold, slow exhale while doing affirmations and visualization techniques recommended by Abi. This has been a powerful way to start my morning in a more balanced, and harmonious state. If time allows, I then head to my workout space and instead of grinding it out with higher intensity workouts, I intuitively lean into what my body is feeling. Sometimes it’s restorative yoga (a gentle, calming form of yoga that aims to promote relaxation and healing), walking, stretching, or strength training. All while utilizing therapeutic red & near-red light therapy to focus on the mitochondria in cells which increases the production of ATP and enhances cellular energy production. Some studies suggest that RLT also has a positive effect on mood and depression, potentially due to its role in reducing inflammation and its effects on cellular energy production.
I’ve also been focusing on supplementation, functional mushrooms, time outdoors and eliminating coffee. I’ve said goodbye to coffee for now and instead enjoy green tea with local honey or a homemade matcha with my favourite Rejuvenate Now mushroom blend, for 15% off use code wholehealth at checkout.
The thing to understand is, we are all so different. What works for one person, may not for the next, and listening to our body is the best way to truly tap into your fullest potential. Don’t be like me and suffer through workouts that are putting you further behind. If you’re not seeing changes or positive results I encourage you to take a step back, and try something new.
This change in routine and mindset is “harder” for me than doing those long intense workouts, but I’m trusting the process and looking forward to feeling as though I’m thriving and not just surviving.
