Online Reporter
Fadzayi Maposah-Correspondent
It is still holiday season. Not everyone is having a good time though, some people are struggling with several issues that others may not be able to relate to well.
People tend to have the attitude that if one is up and about, it is obvious that they are well. People are struggling with all kinds of issues and with time, people have tended to keep to themselves or look out for safe spaces where they can air out.
I promised that I will do my best to ensure that I am at peace with the people that I will spend the holiday with. I am trying my very best. It is not easy especially where there are adults in the picture. I have been thinking that if I was made responsible over a group of young children I would manage it better. A story for another day.
Since the holiday began, I am thankful that I have had more time for my morning walk and run. I decided that the exercise routine like hormones, should know no holiday!
While on the routine, I have had people ask me if I do not have any holiday plans just to wake up and walk and run! People will always be people. Now if I do not do the morning walk and run and then the same people will see me after the holidays having gained weight they will be able to fully explain, how it is that I gained much weight.
There are always cheer leaders, thankfully so. Everyone needs cheer leaders. So the morning walk and run has its fair share of cheer leaders who give you such a shout out that you feel that you cannot let them down. The shout out, gives one additional energy that is required to go on.
One thing that I have told myself is that my hormones will not affect my walk and run exercise. The same way that the hormones do not affect my reporting for duty at work is the same way I treat my hormones when it comes to exercise.
Whether I feel like or not, when it is time for the morning walk and run I take it seriously. There was a time that I would allow my hormones to win over the situation at hand. I would have premenstrual cramps and abandon the exercise routine. It was like these menstrual cramps were aptly timed, they would occur just when I was preparing to go for my exercise routine or the night before.
Then I would tell myself that I would not do the exercise routine. The mind is a great influencer. I would tell myself that exercising when I had menstrual cramps was not a good idea. What if the cramps got worse and I was at a point where I could not move and since the exercise is done very early in the morning, no one would be able to assist me and then I would get worse?
Then I would visualize myself getting worse and failing to get assistance. Then I would convince myself that I was not doing the exercise. Around 10 o`clock there would be no sign that I had had any menstrual cramps.
Now missed period, late period or heavy period, the morning routine remains the same. There is no hormone induced holiday! I have learnt to work within the situation at hand. My hormones are happier when I do things that make me happy too.
With exercise comes the benefit of reduced period pain and period cramps. Now I have been learning about hormones because I am sure that these hormones should not run our lives. I learnt some of these things late in life. If I had learnt them earlier I would be light years ahead in terms of reaping the benefits.
Emotions can run high this holiday season, when people are together there are triggers that can tend to complicate relationships. It is difficult to be all cheerful when one has severe period pains. I used to think that it was all drama until I got to pre-menopause and the periods in most cases come with a lot of discomfort.
Now when one says they have period pains, all I can say silently is `enough respect.` Life tends to humble people. Period discomfort is one aspect that humbled me. No matter what party mood you are might be in when the severe period lands, all one can do is look for relief. Let this holiday season, families and those together make time for exercise. Sit down the night before and agree on a route to take. You see some of us do not want to see a group of people with some saying let us take the left turn and the others saying they think that they want to go right.
The walk or run will do you a lot of good I assure you. Aim to do it very early in the morning or early evening. For those who have not had ample time with their partners this holidays and their hormones have been reporting that they miss one another, the walk or the run can be a great chance for intimacy. You can even hold hands as you go through the walk or the run.
Intimacy as part of the exercise routine. It will also contribute to bonding as you talk and go through the paces. When I bump into you, I will encourage you on. Just as there are different menstrual cycles, allow one another to be different. For some the periods are closer to one another, others are further apart. This could be the same for the paces too.
Even the running styles are different, just like the day when one needs more energy to get through the day, on some days one never seems to know where the day has gone to. Happy holidays!
