Posted in: FB Team / FB Team Posts

When the air quality is too poor for a workout

Hello FB Family,

Just checking in - I did a really light round of Pilates this morning and it felt nice. I have been skipping any kind of intense activity for well over a week now because the air quality is too poor - "hazardous" - due to all of the surrounding fires in our state and up and down our whole coast.

We're donating to emergency funds in order to support people & communities impacted by these fires. We are incredibly grateful for the people on the frontlines of this disaster. Any day is a good day to give back, and there are no shortages of good causes out there and people that need help right now, so I always encourage others to do the same for causes you care about. Help if/when you can, whatever that might look like to you (donating, educating, volunteering, etc).

I just wanted to weigh in and connect the situation I'm currently in to a theme I frequently hear people asking questions about that seems increasingly relevant with all of 2020's curveballs; when is it okay to skip a workout?

My answer would be; literally any & every time the better thing for your health (mental and/or physical) is to not workout. Whether it's due to severe fatigue or overwhelm from stress, recovering from illness, poor air quality, etc. If your body feels like it needs rest more than it needs a workout, rest. Or, if you've already taken that approach for a while and you're still not ready to train at full capacity but feel like you really need *some* movement, take it down a notch and treat yourself to some gentle, soothing, healing movement. Just like "more" is not necessarily better in length or quantity of workout sessions, the same can be said for intensity levels.

That's how I can relate this situation to fitness. But in all reality & on a personal note, the fire and air quality here has been awful, and it has been very scary. Loved ones have been in direct line of some of the most out of control fires. People have died and lost homes. Animals and birds are suffering. Beautiful old growth trees and forests are gone. This is not the first time our coast has struggled with wildfire or smoke, but it is clear that year over year, this problem is growing worse. Fire seasons are starting earlier, lasting longer, and covering vastly more area - not dissimilar to hurricane season on the East Coast, drought in the Mid & Southwest, etc.

We haven't been able to go outside for over a week now, and even indoors, with multiple air filters running, we all feel sick. I've got a raging headache, my throat is raw & I feel asthmatic, my bones and joints hurt like I'm coming down with the flu. Mentally, it's tough, as well. I was going to get to see my parents over the weekend - we already weren't going to be able to hug or be close to each other because of the pandemic...and then we had to cancel our date all together because the air quality - and even visibility while driving - is too dangerous.

Just a bit of a ramble that I hoped I could tie back into a message of self empathy and compassion in regards to your own day to day needs but also one to encourage you to be outwardly compassionate and empathetic to others, as well. We are all going through some hard times and we're going to need each other.

I hope you're all doing well and taking good care of yourselves!

Kelli

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