LIVING YOUR LIFE

Short answer is yes. It may take a little longer, but yes.

Let me throw a question right back at you; Do you enjoy going out with your friends?

We take part in exercise for our overall health, mentally and physically but most of the time it is because it makes us feel fucking fabulous. If you start to take away the things you love in order to achieve those desired results, that fucking fabulous feeling will no longer feel so great and potentionally could change to a ‘I can’t be fucking asked’ feeling.

That is not to say (for those who take everything literally) that if you’re going out every weekend, binge eating, consuming alot of alcohol and basically everything you set your eyes upon it is going to do you any favours because lets face it you probably will not get those desired results.

I think every life should have balance. To put it into perspective when you’re on your death bed (morbid I know, soz) the first things you’re going to reminise on is all those amazing memories you’ve created with your loved ones and all that bloody great food you’ve consumed all over the world – not whether you went 10 cals over on your macros lol (I have nothing against counting macros, fyi)

Of course we should take pride in our appearance and overall health, especially as we get older. Moving our bodies for at least 30 minutes a day(as per the guidelines) to get those endorphins in us, most certainly prioritising our physical well being but going out with our friends is us prioritising is mental welllbeing too!

A few tips for anyone trying to maintain a healthy balanced lifestyle

1. Stay hydrated –Water should be your best friend to be honest. Ideally drinking 2-4ltrs (depending on you as a person) is ideal and there are so many benefits to this. To name one; It helps maximise your physical performance. This can be anything from staying motivated and feeling less fatigued. If you do not drink enough water it can also make exercise feel more difficult physically and mentally. So, join the hype, buy a big bottle and get drinking!
2. Sleep (something I need to work on) –Sleep personally for me is a non-negotiable. You should be getting at least 7-8 hours a night, again so many benefits to this. One of the many benefits is boosting your immune system. After the last 18 months of covid, this should be one of many things we are looking to keep at tip top working order!
3. Nutrition –Firstly I am nota nutritionist. But, in my personal experience learning about food is your saving grace. Learn new recipes, prep your food in batches and be consistent. Putting too much pressure on yourself to be perfect is just setting yourself up for failure. My advice would be make sure you’re eating enough calories in balance with your day to day life and goals, don’t ditch the carbs because you’ll become a tired witch and the 80/20 rule is good enough whether you’re counting calories or intuitively eating.

I think a little reminder to yourself everyday that fitness does not define you, it is apart of who you are. It is not a fad, it’s a lifestyle and it is something that betters us as people in every aspect of life. We should not be willing to give up our social lives, having fun and doing all the things we love to do purely for ‘results’. What even is a result? After you’ve got to that so called ‘result’ where do you go next? Its a very vicious cycle and ultimately can become very obsessive. My advice would be to anyone unsure on this topic to seek help from a professional in this field and put an action plan in place together.

For those who already know their purpose in this ever evolving industry it is not to say that consistency, discipline and sacrifice should be ignored because nothing worth having comes easy and to get places we will have to sacrifice at some point.

“Real self-care can’t be bought, it isn’t just spa days and facials. Real self-care is a series of tough decisions. The decision to be more disciplined, to address your reacurring toxic thoughts, to prioritise your mental health and to put your happiness over history”