I know there is alot of information out there about what to expect when you receive your covid vaccine. I wanted to give you my perspective from the fitness side. Keep in mind though, just like with anything, everyones experience will be different.
As those of you that work out with me know… my favorite montra… a workout can fix anything. My kids will tell you as they were growing up… if they said “I’m tired”, moms answer, get outside and run around…”I’m mad”, moms answer, pick up a ball and play, in other words…phsyical movement, a workout, changes how you feel, your mood, your body.
We all will have different side affects from the vaccine, but I would like to give you my personal experience. And this is coming from someone very “needle shy” is a polite way to put it. (any nurse that has had to give me a needle…I so apologize). But this vaccine is very easy to recieve for us non-injection fans. Which is great…because the side affects after can be alittle harder on all of us. Lets remember though, what your feeling is your body reacting - so building your defenses against the covid - so thats fantastic!
How to handle it? Well for me, my first vaccine I took the following day off - which meant no working out - I rested my throbbing arm. Sounds reasonable right? I bet your suprised I could take a day without a workout! Except…the arm throbbed - my head also throbbed for days. For my second dose…I gave myself my own pep talk that I have given many clients and did workout the day after. Yes, I woke up with a throbbing arm and head. I wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep…but I told myself, workout with light weights for 10 minutes, if you are not feeling better, in the mood to workout- persmisson granted to go right back to bed (I didn’t even make the bed…in fact my dogs had no faith that this would work - they waited in the bed). But guess what?? After afew minutes I did start to feel better, I kept range of motion lower on the sore arm, but as I went through the workout…it improved!!
So my advice to my fitness fam, please try a workout the day after - it may help you recover faster! (one disclaimer - I do not suggest this if you experience fever - then resting is your best course of action until fever has subsided).
