I'm not the expert, you are!

When I was younger, I hated people telling me what to do, especially when it came to fitness. Team sports? No thanks! Fitness classes? Nope. I chose to play softball because it involved the least amount of physical effort of all the sports I’d tried (in my opinion).

In high school, I would go run 3 miles before softball practice, but when the coach made us run 5 foul poles at the end of practice, I was huffing and puffing, not from being out of breath but from being pissed that someone was telling me to run.

For years, I wanted to plan my own workouts. But then I kind of stopped because it was a lot of mental effort to figure out a whole workout multiple times a week! Two years ago, I reprioritized strength training and surrendered to group fitness classes because I found myself struggling to motivate myself to do strength training. And it’s actually been pretty great! I’ve benefited from going to classes where the teacher plans the whole thing and I just have to show up.

But last week, I noticed some of that rebellion emerge (and realized I’ve been doing this since the beginning, unknowingly sabotaging myself).

I was in a Pilates class and noticed some resistance to what the instructor was telling us to do. I was changing the moves to make them easier or stopping altogether, partly because it was hard but more because I was feeling annoyed with the moves the teacher had chosen for us, and I was acting out. When I caught myself doing this, I realized that me not doing the move doesn’t affect the teacher. They don’t care whether or not I do it. The only person it’s affecting is me, and it’s not in line with my fitness goals to not do the exercises I’m going to the classes to do.

I find this to be true with a lot of things related to health. A lot of times, we know what we need to do, especially when people tell us what to do. We resist simply because we don’t want people to tell us what to do. This doesn’t help us reach our goals or live in alignment with our values because what we value is living healthfully and optimally.

Other times, what people tell us to do truly doesn’t work for us. At least once per class, I do have to modify a move because of my tailbone injury or my back (related to the tailbone thing) or my bad knees, and I know that what I’m doing is right for me because I know my body best.


So I guess it’s all about balance — being open to learning and growing and knowing that you are the expert on your body, your health, your life.


Takeaways

1. What worked for you once may not work for you now. It’s okay (and necessary) to change.
2. You likely have all the knowledge you need to change your life and health. You just have to put it into action.
3. Not doing is a choice just as much as doing is. Think about your recent choices around your health and well-being. Are you doing it for you? Are you not doing it because of someone else? What would change if you blocked out the external noise and acted fully in alignment with your goals and vision for your life?

Health coaching is the bridge between knowing something and actually doing it. What can you commit to doing this week to move you closer to your optimal health and well-being?