I'm dropping a truth bomb. If I did everything in my lippy toolkit everyday, I would have a nervous breakdown. Power to you if you are one of those girls that can commit to hours a day of self-care. I am just not one of them.
Being a health practitioner doesn't mean that I do everything perfectly. What I do well, is listen to my body and give it what it wants on that day. If my legs are a little fluidly, I will use my pumps. If I know I am going to be on my feet all day, I will wear my compression and elevate my legs once I get home. If my legs are more sensitive to touch and feeling tender, I will fast. I am not saying that I am lazy, but I can definitely have lazy days.
Our lives are already so busy and finding the time to fit in all the lipoedema conservative treatments is hard. Even when I do have time, I can still find it hard. I mean, how could I possibly fit in: Dry body brushing, massage, pumps, rebounding, yoga, deep breathing, essential oil baths, fascia blasting and a spin on the vibration plate every single day?
I went through a time where I rebelled. I didn't do any self-care. It is really not fair, why should I have to do all this? Well, I can tell you that didn't work out very well for me. I gained 5kgs within a very short amount of time. I couldn't fit into any of my clothes. I didn't want to leave the house, I wanted to stay in my robe inside and just have a pitty party.
I have a condition and it needs special attention. It is something I have to work on daily for the rest of my life. This is my reality and I am going to be OK!
The one thing that I am consistent with is my diet. That helps me the most. Then I add in all the other things when I can. I don't beat myself up about it.
Find the things that you can make part of your routine. This can be done daily, weekly or even monthly. Once you find a routine it becomes easier to stick to. No need for hours a day. Most people who try to do it all, end up giving up completely and not doing anything. It is better to be consistent, thats when you will see results.
So what might my week look like?
Monday: I wear compression and I do weights at the gym
Tuesday: I dry body brush and I wear compression
Wednesday: Yoga & Self massage
Thursday: I dry body brush, wear compression and dance for an hour with my sister at No Lights, No Lycra
Friday: Rebounding and Self-massage
Saturday: Yoga, essential oil bath
Sunday: Leg pumps
My best advice is just do something little everyday and follow a solid nutrition plan tailored to you and your needs (not from the internet) and your body will thank you.
Aimee xxx