Catch up with Coach M - Edition 43 - Reset and Movement for Recovery, Training Diaries

Welcome to Edition 44!

That’s right—44 weeks of showing up, sharing, and connecting through this blog, and I’ve loved every moment of it. Thank you for being part of the journey each week!

Can you believe we’re heading into the first week of June already? The year is flying by, and we're nearly halfway through! In this week’s catch-up chat, we’re diving into:

• body and mind reset practices,

• insights from the coach’s training diaries, and

• what it really takes to stay consistent—whether it’s in your work, family life, personal growth, or health journey. No matter the area, consistency is the key to lasting progress.

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Mind and Body Reset Practice:

How Journaling, Quiet Time, Stretching & Movement Help You Recover, Heal & Rebuild

In a world that pushes us to “do more,” sometimes the most radical, effective thing you can do is… slow down.

Recovery isn’t passive. Healing isn’t a pause.

It’s an active, intentional process of tuning into your body, your mind, and your truth.

Today, we’re exploring how a blend of quiet time, journaling, stretching, and rehabilitative movement can reset your nervous system, help you reconnect to yourself, and support you through burnout, injury, emotional fatigue, or physical healing.

Why Your Nervous System Needs a “Reset”

Most of us live in a state of low-grade fight-or-flight.

This chronic stress mode:

• Delays physical recovery

• Disrupts digestion and sleep

• Increases inflammation

• Dulls our emotional awareness

• And causes us to train or push through pain without listening to the body

But your body heals in parasympathetic mode — rest and restore.

You cannot recover, grow, or feel safe in your body if you never give it space to be still, breathe, and speak.

The 4 Pillars of Recovery & Reflection

This practice is not just about rehab for the body — it’s rehab for the entire human experience. Here’s how:

1. Quiet Time: Nervous System Recalibration

What it does: Reduces cortisol, balances hormones, slows reactive thinking

How to do it:

• 5–10 minutes daily in silence (no phone, no to-do list)

• Sit or lie down in a safe, peaceful place

• Focus on breathing: box breathing (inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4)

• You’re not “doing nothing” — you’re listening

Quiet time resets the mind so you can approach healing with clarity, not control.

2. Journaling: Processing for the Mind

What it does: Helps you name emotions, track patterns, and uncover deeper needs

How to do it:

• Use prompts like:

  
  

  • “What does my body need more of today?”

  • “Where am I ignoring pain or pushing through something I shouldn’t?”

  • “What am I afraid to admit I’m struggling with?”

  
  

• Free-write for 5–10 minutes, no filters or judgment

• Bonus: Log your body’s signals (tightness, fatigue, soreness, cravings)

Journaling helps release mental and emotional inflammation — it’s just as important as stretching your body.

3. Stretching: Release + Reconnect

What it does: Restores mobility, reduces pain, increases circulation, helps emotional release

How to do it:

• Focus on slow, intentional stretches, especially:

  
  

  • Hip openers (emotions and trauma often sit here)

  • Chest and shoulder release (posture and breath restoration)

  • Neck and jaw (tension, overthinking, stress storage)

  • Lower back and hamstrings (nervous system and gut tension)

  
  

• Hold each stretch for 30–60 seconds

• Breathe deeply, tune in to what your body is telling you

Stretching isn’t just a warm-up or cool-down — it’s a communication tool. The body speaks when we slow down enough to hear it.

4. Rehabilitative Movement: Gentle Strength & Flow

What it does: Builds strength without re-injury, improves proprioception, restores trust in movement

How to do it:

• Try bodyweight flows, light resistance bands, or low-impact circuits (Pilates, mobility work, core rehab)

• Use this time to reconnect with intention — not ego

• Focus on form, breath, and control over intensity

• Avoid pain, chase activation and fluidity

Movement without pressure allows you to rebuild safely — both physically and emotionally.

Integrating All 4 for Real Healing

Here’s a simple flow for a healing session you can do solo, with clients, or guide in your classes:

Morning Practice (10–20 min)

1. Sit in silence for 5 minutes (quiet time or guided breath)

2. Journal 1–2 prompts (“How am I showing up in my body today?”)

3. Move through 5–10 minutes of gentle stretching or yoga (hips, chest, spine)

Evening Practice (15–30 min)

1. Light stretching or mobility flow to calm the nervous system

2. Reflective journaling (“What did I notice in my body today?”)

3. Quiet time + gratitude prayer or affirmation

Example:

“I give myself permission to slow down. My healing matters more than my pace.”

Why This Approach Works — Scientifically & Spiritually

• Physiologically: Restorative practices help lower cortisol, increase vagal tone, reduce systemic inflammation, and enhance muscle recovery.

• Emotionally: You process suppressed emotions, regulate the nervous system, and build emotional resilience.

• Mentally: You shift from overwhelm to clarity — from chaos to conscious choice.

• Spiritually: You remember that you are more than your body, more than your productivity. You are whole, even while healing.

Final Words: You Are Not Broken

You are not weak for needing rest.

You are not lazy for stretching instead of sprinting.

You are not “behind” because you’re healing.

You are wise enough to pause.

Strong enough to listen.

Brave enough to slow down when the world says “speed up.”

Healing is not about returning to your old self.

It’s about becoming the version of you that can hold yourself with love, strength, and truth.

You deserve a practice that meets all of you — body, mind, and soul. Let this be it.

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300 Days of Movement: Why I Train the Way I Do

The many faces of consistency 💪🔄 – yep, my cupboard is overflowing with training gear! 🏋️‍♀️🏃‍♂️🚴‍♀️🧘‍♂️🎽

I try and Be outside in nature quite a bit and this also brings joy to the schedule of consistency!

This week, I want to take you behind the scenes of my current training — especially for those of you who are newer here and may not have followed from the beginning.

One of the first comments I get is :“You train a lot.”

And yes, from the outside it can seem like a lot. Moving is part of my job! BUT every session has a purpose — and more importantly, a foundation in recovery, structure, and sustainability.

The Turning Point: Injury → Intention

Last year, I tore my quadricep muscle in a freak accident. - outside of training. It could have been a major setback — but because I already had strength and mobility in my corner, the recovery process was smoother and faster than it might have been otherwise.

That moment was a huge wake-up call. It reminded me that training isn’t just about getting stronger or fitter — it’s about protecting your future self. So, I made a decision:

To train smarter, not harder — and to move every single day.

But not just any movement. It had to be:

• Intentional

• Planned and load-controlled

• Adapted to my energy, goals, and life season

A Look at My Current Training Week

Let me be clear: this is my training week, tailored to my needs and goals. Please don’t take it as a prescription — your body, life, and recovery needs are unique. What works for me is built on years, Pretty much a lifetime of moving, of training, experimentation, and coaching experience.

Here’s what this past week looked like:

• Monday: Full-body strength session + 15 minutes cardio

• Tuesday: Hill run + Pilates-based mobility session

• Wednesday: Full-body strength session + a walk

• Thursday: Indoor cycling (easy-moderate pace)

• Friday: Swim session with stroke correction drills

• Saturday: Long trail run (hill-focused)

• Sunday: Short 1-hour road run in Zone 2 (aerobic pace)

The Base Bones Stay the Same

Although the exact sessions change week to week depending on my cycle, recovery, and upcoming events or races — the foundation stays consistent:

• 2+ days of lifting

• 3–4 days of running (mix of hills, aerobic base, and intervals)

• 1 day of swimming and cycling

• Daily mobility, Pilates, or low-load movement

Some weeks, I swap a run for an extra mobility day. Other times, I adjust intensity depending on how my nervous system is handling load.

But I never just “wing it.” Every shift is intentional.

300 Days of Moving — What That Means

This past week marked 300 consecutive days of movement.

That doesn’t mean I crushed a hard workout every day. It means I moved my body every day — some days it was just a walk, a stretch session, or some mobility flows on the mat.

But I showed up. PLUS I met my minimum weekly step count — another baseline I use to anchor my training habit that has been built OVER TIME! not overnight!

Why It Matters: Movement as a Lifestyle

This whole journey has cemented one of my core beliefs:

👉 Movement is not a task. It’s a lifestyle. HENCE My Slogan Nutrition and Movement is LIFE

And that’s the exact message I share with my clients and in my coaching:

• You don’t have to crush every session.

• You don’t need to earn your rest.

• You can train hard and still train smart.

It’s about:

• Building a habit

• Honouring your capacity

• Moving with good technique

• Listening to your body

The Bigger Picture

My training is no longer just about performance — it’s about resilience, longevity, and the joy of being in a body that feels capable.

So whether you’re working through an injury, trying to rebuild a consistent routine, or just feeling disconnected from movement — start where you are.

Make it doable. Make it honest. And make it something you actually want to keep showing up for.

✨ Move with purpose.

✨ Rest with intention.

✨ Stay consistent — not perfect.

Let me know if you'd like me to break down and create a plan for you. We all Started somewhere!

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What Does Consistency Really Mean in Movement & Lifestyle?

When it comes to movement, health, and wellness habits, one word comes up again and again: Consistency.

But let’s be clear — consistency is not the same thing as perfection.

And too many people give up because they confuse the two.

❌ Consistency is NOT:

• Crushing intense workouts every single day

• Never missing a gym session or meal prep

• Pushing through pain, fatigue, or burnout to stay “on track”

• Feeling like if you can’t do it perfectly, you’ve failed

That’s not sustainable — and it’s definitely not healthy.

✅ What Consistency Really Looks Like:

• Showing up regularly — even if it’s a walk instead of a workout

• Choosing movement most days, but allowing rest without guilt

• Eating nourishing meals most of the time — not stressing over every choice

• Staying flexible when life throws curveballs

• Coming back after setbacks, instead of staying stuck in “all or nothing”

Why It Matters: Consistency builds trust.

• Trust in your habits.

• Trust in your body.

• Trust in yourself.

It’s not the big, dramatic efforts that create lasting change.

It’s the small, repeated actions that stack up over time — the walk you took instead of skipping movement altogether, the gentle stretch when your body was sore, the balanced meal after a weekend of takeout.

These moments matter more than you think.

You Don’t Need to Be Perfect

• You will miss workouts.

• You’ll have low-energy days.

• You’ll eat the thing,

• skip the thing, or

• forget the thing.

  
  

That’s not failure. That’s life.

Consistency says: “I don’t have to do it all — I just have to keep showing up.”

What You Can Do Today:

• Go for a 10-minute walk

• Do 5 minutes of stretching or mobility

• Eat one meal that supports your energy

• Drink some water and breathe deeply

• Choose rest without guilt, if that’s what you need

• 
  

The key? Do something — not everything. Progress comes from showing up in small ways, day after day.

Perfection is stressful. Consistency is powerful.

You don’t need a perfect streak. You need a rhythm that feels real, flexible, and doable. That’s how habits stick. That’s how change happens.

So today — just begin again. And again. And again.

That’s consistency.

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That’s a wrap for this week!

I hope you found value in learning how rest, reset, and daily movement can be built through consistency and small, sustainable habits. Remember: it’s not about perfection—it’s about showing up. Consistency over perfection.