Irish Fitness Guru Lisa Dee Tells Us Why It’s Okay To Take A Break From Working Out

How long have you been training for Lisa?

I’ve always been pretty active but I started taking training a lot more seriously about three years ago

And how many times a week do you train?

It’s always changing but currently I’m doing gym work three days a week for about 45 minutes and ballet once or twice a week.

So many girls make the mistake of working out twice a day and definitely don’t eat enough to compensate for that.

What happens when we over-exert ourselves physically?

I don’t believe in over-training as such but I do believe in under-resting and under-eating. So many girls make the mistake of working out twice a day and definitely don’t eat enough to compensate for that. As well as fat loss plateauing, they’ll notice hormone fluctuations that affect many things such as their mood, emotions, mind health, sleeping patterns, menstrual problems and signs of ageing.

Do your bootcamps provide you with your main source of income or what else do you do?

Yes, my bootcamps and online work are my main source of income. I started working for myself two and a half years ago with the bootcamps and launched my online challenges a year and a half ago.

You’ve taken a step back now for a little while, why’s that? Was there anything in particular that spurred you to take a break?

Yes, I announced last week that I was taking five weeks off from my bootcamp classes. Honestly, I’m tired. I’ve been showing up month after month, for years, and I’m just starting to feel a little drained.

My body is telling me to slow the hell down. I’m generally feeling less motivated with my own training and I’m seeing it as more of a chore now. I don’t want to feel that way, so for me, taking a step back from work is what I need most right now. As always, I try to practice what I preach. Not happy with something? Change it!

Are you nervous about taking a break?

At first I was sick with nerves! I didn’t want to let the girls down but I was also worried that others would look at me as being selfish or lazy. Then I realised, it’s none of my business what someone else thinks about me. I know I’m one of the hardest working 26 year olds around and I’ve built my business up to what it is through that hard work. That’s the truth and once I accepted that, I felt relaxed. Letting fear take control is one of the yuckiest feelings so the best way to beat fear is just finding some balls.

You said it Lisa! Some women find it difficult taking a step back from their hectic schedules, what’s your advice to them?

Take your ego out of the picture. So many people are obsessed with being busy or appearing busy these days, but busy isn’t a sign of success. Busy means nothing if your head’s frazzled and your soul is empty with nothing left to give. You’re better giving 10 hours of serious quality work than 30 hours of tired work. Self care should always be number one.

How do you feel now that you’ve finally decided to take time off?

I feel so relieved! I feel like a blockage has been removed. It’s a good feeling. It’s another lesson to always listen to your gut, it’s never wrong. Your body will always tell you what it needs. I’ll still be doing my online work with my online clients but I feel good knowing I can choose those hours, I’m not bound to certain times, I don’t have to go to work at 6am on a Monday for example, and that is a relief.

What can we really gain from taking a block of time off from our schedule, apart from rest?

Identity. I feel like for many of us, our work becomes our identity. I’ve gone through so many periods of asking ‘who am I?’. I hope I find parts of myself again during my time off.

On another note, I personally love writing, art, reading and nature but I don’t spend enough time on those things because I’m always immersed in something ‘fitnessy’. Giving myself this time will mean I can enjoy those things again. Women need to realise that taking some time off will leave them refreshed and more inspired in work when they go back. You can’t feel inspired all the time. Downtime is where the creativity happens!

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