HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN GUT?

But I was never told about the hollow

How can you mend a broken gut?

How can you stop bathroom trips from happ'nin?

How can you stop the cramps from pounding?

Sorry Bee Gees, my need to be punny has led to me soiling (lol) a very classic song with something that has nothing to do with mending any tummy issues, but more about bouncing back from a terrible bout of food poisoning.

Afterall, there really isn't very much you can do about painful cramps, acute nausea and lots of bathroom time from food poisoning. Just lots of sleep, hydration, charcoal pills and prayers for the poor soul using the bathroom after you. 

It might not have been the smartest idea to pick a metcon class to come back to (and Igniteher too, the toughest one at Pherform too, imho), but hey, no better (and more masochistic) way to find out if you really are on the mend. 

I managed all the rounds of metcon grief, with much sweat and what felt like blood and tears, save for the round with 150 kettlebell swings and 150 cross-body mountain climbers. By the time I was done with the swings, I had 38 seconds to go. Ain't nobody, not even Usain Bolt, going to manage 150 mountain climbers in that time.

But I actually surprised myself with how I survived the class relatively unscathed. I did find myself feeling a little weaker and I wanted to play it safe, so I chose lighter weights, tried not to go too fast (it's hard on the assault bike though, I'll tell you that - you just want the cals to fly by so the pain will end faster), and generally paced myself a little more rationally when I do in usual classes. 

Oh and I also put out a life buoy for myself by informing my coach that I wasn't feeling 100% and was recovering from food poisoning, so she made sure to remind me to listen to my body throughout the workout.

A spot of restorative yoga to help stretch out at the end of the day also did wonders for this battered, dehydrated body. 

I was grateful for the slower Powher strength training class today after yesterday's metcon madness. It was no less challenging, but the pace was definitely more forgiving. 

I also made sure to constantly tank up on good old H2O, drinking about a full liter more than I usually do. While in the throes of or recovering from food poisoning, it's hard to stay the course of a set nutrition program that is 95% made up of protein and fiber — the latter being the LAST thing your sore bottom wants you to consume — when all you want is a good, simple, comforting bowl of watery congee to warm the cockles of your broken, erm, gut. 

But stick it, I did, just taking extra care to ensure my food was always hot and I wasn't consuming any cold vegetables. There isn't any dairy in my program at this stage and I'm also using a vegan protein powder and almond milk for the merciful solo shake I get every day, so my gut was spared from further gory pounding. 

But most importantly, what I did was just take things slow. Easing back into exercise is important and sometimes requires a bit of a push, but understanding what your body needs and listening to it is even more pivotal. I took 2 complete days off working out to heal (a feat, if you ask anyone who knows me), and I think that's actually why the workouts I returned to didn't decimate me. I would absolutely have taken more time off if I felt I needed it. 

In the time I was on the benches, I just napped a lot, slept even more and read a fair bit in between. Finished Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward (it's okay; not sure how I feel about it) and Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng (absolutely loved this and lapped it all up. 10/10 would recommend) in the span of 3 days.

I've always been a voracious reader, but in the past couple of years I've let digi and TV life get in the way (Instagram scolling, Netflix and chill, anyone?) of a good book. Sometimes it really takes getting ill to bring you back to one of your first loves. 

Please help me mend my broken gut

So I can eat again