Writing the title of this post, I could not help but think of the lyric “Baby, am I doing too much?” from the similarly titled Paula DeAnda song. It’s weirdly appropriate that Paula posed it as a question, as I often have to ask my boyfriend if he thinks I am overdoing it. For today’s post, I wanted to discuss the topic of overexertion as it is a common problem for fibro patients and women in general.

I feel like there are 2 specific types of overdoing it: when you feel well and when you don’t. When I feel well, I have a tendency to try and cram as many things into the day as possible since it’s unusual to get a day like that. When I don’t feel well, there are sometimes days that I have to push through and do more than I know is possible. In both cases – I am left EXPIRED for days afterwards.

As a lifelong overachiever, not being able to do everything that I want in a day frustrates me. The mental toll of being limited by my body is something that takes daily effort to overcome. In moments of frustration, I try and focus on the positives. My body has come such a long way in the year since my diagnosis and I have to focus on what I can do instead of what I can’t do.

Recently, I took on the challenge of a pilates class for the first time since my diagnosis. MF3 Fit in Larchmont offers pilates group classes on the megaformer – a machine that assists in adding resistance to pilates workouts. I went with my friends in Westchester Blogger Babes and was lucky to be trying the class with so many positive people around me. I went into the class with realistic expectations of what I would be able to do and was happy with my results.

The challenge when taking a group exercise class like that is knowing when you’re doing too much and taking a step back. I have to recognize and listen to my body when working out to make sure I am not overexerting myself. In a group class setting, it’s easy to get carried away and want to keep up, but don’t be embarrassed to sit out a set. Ultimately, it’s up to you to channel our girl Paula and ask, “Baby am I doing too much?”