A Little Less Conversation

My boss’s ringtone is the Elvis classic “A Little Less Conversation.” You know the one I mean? It goes, “A little less conversation, a little more action please.” That song has been on my mind a lot lately, because I’d like my body to talk a little less and act a little more!

Here’s what’s happening: In four short weeks, I’m going on a tropical vacation with my best friend and her family. That family includes two young boys. I want to be able to keep up with them, whether that means hiking in the jungle or racing across the beach to be first in the water for an afternoon of snorkeling.

Do you hear this beach calling my name? Photo by Breezy Baldwin.

I’m sad to report that, because of my trio of injuries (knee, ankle, shoulder) my fitness level has dropped. A lot. “Plummeted” might be a more appropriate word. So I’m currently on a mission to up that fitness level, and it’s been a lot of trial and error.

Which leads me back to the conversation I’ve been having with my body. We are definitely speaking different languages right now. Let’s look at a typical scene:

Brain: Let’s try the elliptical.

Body: Ah, the old familiar foot pain.

Brain: Okay. How about biking?

Body: It’s been awhile since our left knee ached. Until now!

Brain: All right. Stairclimber?

Body: Nah.

Brain: Can we go back to swimming?

Body: You bet! We love it when our shoulder locks up.

Brain: Walking?

Body: Sure, if we stroll.

No, body, I do not want to stroll! I want to get my heart and lungs pumping! Stop thwarting my every attempt, dang it! Right now, I’m trying to do something different every day, hoping to find that just-right mix that increases my endurance and fitness, while being kind to my achy parts.

It’s super hard to listen to what your body is saying when you don’t like the message. That message might be “slow down,” or “please feed me, I’m hungry,” or “stop looking at the internet and go to bed, already!” How do you maintain a healthy relationship between your body and brain? What do you do when the conversation isn’t going your way?

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