Finding Balance Part II

Finding balance, that's what we all strive for right? Balance between work and home, between kids and spouse, between starving and splurging, etc. I have this idea that balance has to be achievable when it comes to being fit and maintaining a healthy weight. I simply can't accept the that it has to be an either or situation. Moderation is key right?

But what about all the messages we see all the time? How can we rectify a balanced approach with the world telling us "Push past your comfort zone," "Don't quit," "Unless you puke, faint, or die, don't give up!" (My goodness that last one is pretty intense). If I listen to these voices I think I have to power through even if it's hurting, like legitimately hurting. I have to keep going even if I'm tired, even if I'm sick, even if I'm struggling to just keep my head above water.

The thing is we have to say no sometimes. Sometimes our bodies do need rest! Sometimes we do need to take it easy. Sometimes we have to stop a workout halfway through, sometimes we may not even start. And that is ok. There is a huge difference between consistently giving up on things you start, and saying "not today"," when you need to.

Being active should be a part of your life. We are not meant to be sedentary. These days we spend so much time sitting, that we need to make that time to be active. It's good for your heart, your lungs, your circulation, your mood. You need it, so do it. Take a walk, take a hike, ride your bike, go for a swim, run, ski, do yoga, anything, just get up and move.

Eating healthy foods is important too. I don't know about you but when I eat crap, I feel like crap. My body works so much better when I feed it good nutritious, foods. I literally get headaches, body aches, and congestion when I eat certain things, and I feel sleepy, anxious, and bloated. It's not fun!

So eating well, and being active make me feel good, and I want to feel good. That's the whole point of having balance, to feel good, to have less stress and to be happy.

For me being unbalanced is pushing to extremes. Depriving myself. Forcing myself into a mold that I don't fit into. It also means being completely and utterly lazy, eating foods that make me feel sick, and stuffing myself beyond my true limits.

The middle ground, the balanced area, is eating good foods, but being able to say yes to a small slice of cake, or a cookie. Being a able to have a beer with my friends. It means going for a run, hiking with my husband, waking up early to do yoga because it stars my day out right. Balance means listening to my body and treating it right.

Balance doesn't mean I quit, it's the opposite actually, it means I'm still trying, still listening, still improving myself each day. I still have goals. I am still working towards a goal, the goal is balance and believe it or not that is a hard goal! If moderation was an easy concept we would all be fit and healthy! Listening to my body is harder than counting calories, it's harder than measuring, it means I have to trust myself and really tune into my body. If I had been good at that I wouldn't be where I am. I never would have weighed 270 pounds.

I hope you can find balance in your life, whatever that means to you. And I hope you find peace in the process. I'm still working towards it optimistically.