Find Your Balance

Let's talk about balance. I think if we could sum up in one word the thing that most of us are looking for, other than health, is balance.

We are looking for a nice balance of exercise and rest, of healthy food and indulgent ones, etc. (This is not to say that balance is eating 50% chocolate and 50% celery sticks or that you have to be at the gym for 12 hrs a day).

For each of us there are some things that throw off our balance. Some of mine are: drinking more than one cup of coffee a day, skipping exercise, stress and not sleeping enough. Yours might be different than someone else's.

When we find ourselves thrown off balance we know it almost immediately. We get into a spiral of bad habits which, are often different from person to person. We might not have REALIZED we are off balance but our body tells us immediately. We get sick, we feel like crap, we start making poor eating choices and skipping our workouts.

Achieving balance and having the ability to not spiral out of control every two weeks is more valuable than perfection. Identifying some of the things that throw our balance off can save us from constantly fighting the spiral of bad habits.

The key to healthy, lasting weight loss is finding a balance between diet and exercise. A healthy diet provides your body with plenty of nutrients and protein, and limits sugar, fat, and cholesterol. It will give you the necessary fuel to maintain a regular and comprehensive exercise regimen for total fitness.

Here Are Some Tips for How to Balance Diet and Exercise:

Enlist the Help of Professionals. A nutritionist can design a diet plan that meets your health needs. Equally important is enlisting the services of a personal trainer. They will design a specific plan to keep you motivated and ensure you meet your goals, big or small.

Eat 6 Small Meals throughout the Day. Also, schedule meals before and after a workout.
Eating 5 or 6 small meals through the day instead of a few large ones will keep your metabolism stimulated throughout the day and help you lose weight. A meal high in carbohydrates just before a workout will give you energy when you exercise, while foods high in protein will help rejuvenate you afterward.

Drink Plenty of Water. Consume 2-3L of water a day, including at least 1 after a workout. Water keeps you hydrated, boosts metabolism and encourages cell repair.

Choose an ExerciseProgram You Enjoy and Ultimately Stick to.  It is best to design a workout plan that you will enjoy and be able to follow. Your exercise regimen should push you to work hard without being dangerous. If you don't like to go to the gym...you won't go to the gym, period. So find an activity that you enjoy, like a group class, train with a buddy, run, swim...anything that will keep you motivated and avoid getting bored.

Create an Exercise Plan and a Diet Plan that are both Gradual, NOT Drastic Lifestyle Changes 

If you are new to exercise do a few short workouts (20 minutes) 3 times a week for 2 weeks to ease your body into regular exercise. That is all the time needed to give your body a jolt and get it used to moving. These shorter periods of exercise will balance your 6 small meals throughout the day so you are energized without feeling heavy, bloated and overwhelmed.

Workout at a Time that is Right for You.
Stimulating your body with a workout in the morning will keep your metabolism higher all day. If you're not a morning workout person, try scheduling exercise after work to unwind after your day. Finish daily exercise at least 2 hours before you plan to go to bed to allow your body to relax and prepare to rest.

Plan a Balanced Diet and Exercise Based on Your Overall Goals. Adjust the balance to fit weight loss or muscle gain. Include lots of cardiovascular exercise like running or HITT workouts if you're trying to lose weight. Balance this exercise regimen with a diet low in carbohydrates and sugar to encourage your body to break down excess fat instead of storing it. Focus on weight training and resistance exercises if you're at your ideal weight but want to gain muscle and build strength. Boost your weightlifting workout by eating a diet high in protein and carbohydrates to give your body energy for endurance during workouts.

Take Away on Balance. Realize that mountains aren’t moved with an “all or nothing” mentality. Mountains ARE moved with a balanced approach to understanding your personal limits and in turn, ramping up your efficiency within them. Couple this mentality with the immense power of TIME and you’ve got a solid formula for success.

Have a Happy and Healthy Day, Cheers :)

Respect Your Body

So often we treat ourselves (and our bodies) in ways we would never tolerate from others. We criticize with thoughts and abuse with actions. Hold yourself to the same standard you would hold others, though, and things start to change. You would never tolerate a best friend who always told you that you looked fat or were not worthy – so don’t tolerate it from your own mouth either!

Start Every Day With A Compliment. It’s so easy for us to look in the mirror and stark picking ourselves apart. But just the simple act of starting each day by complimenting yourself can really change the way you feel about yourself for the rest of the day. So, tomorrow, when you wake up, begin the day by saying something nice about yourself before you do anything else. The point: to take the focus off the body parts we hate and, instead, put the focus on the positive.

Compliment Someone Else. It’s amazing how wonderful it can feel to make someone else feel better about him or herself! It will not only (ideally) instigate a pay-it-forward mentality, but also will help put your focus on the beauty of others instead of searching for flaws.

Appreciate Your Body For What It Can Do (Not What It Looks Like). Too often we only focus on the superficial. We worry about how our jeans fit, what our bellies look like and more. STudies have found that athletes in particular have an incredible ability to steer clear of the pressure for body “perfection” (whatever that means) by focusing on what their bodies can do. They appreciate what their bodies are capable of – and work to increase their endurance, strength and power – without regard to how they look in the process and, well, it’s a lesson we could all learn!

Step Off The Scale (And Stay Off). Your weight is not your worth. It’s not a measure of your health, fitness or attractiveness. For all intents and purposes, it’s more accurately a measure of our mood or anxiety levels than anything else!

Have a Happy and Healthy Day, Cheers :)

Go and DO.

I've had this thought brewing in my head the last few days...

You do not need a fancy website or the perfect equipment or the perfect ANYTHING to do what matters.

You don't need to have all of your ducks in a row (where did that phrase come from anyway?!).

You don't need to know exactly how each step of your dream will unfold.

To start making things happen, you just have to DO.

This is a giant note to self. I can obsess about 'perfect' and always end up realizing that DONE is way better than perfect. Chasing perfect is paralyzing.

You know all the those things you've always wanted to do? You should go DO them!

You will make mistakes. You will 'Fail'. BUT, the risk is worth the reward.

For me, risking for what matters ends up being no risk at all. The greater risk is staying stuck and not making the impact that I know I am capable of.

We ALL have greatness inside of us waiting to be released.

Go and DO.

Have a Happy and Healthy Day, Cheers :)