BALANCE - it is all about balance. Simple.

MireyGal76
MireyGal76 Posts: 7,334 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Let me preface this by saying...
- I am not a fitness instructor. Take what I have to say with a grain of salt, as it is learned by experience, not through a book.
- I do not have endless hours to spend at a gym. I am separated mom of two girls (age 5 and 7), a home owner, and employee (working 40 hours a week), a commuter (spend an additional 1.5 hours in a vehicle each day), a pet owner.
- I bust my *kitten* when I DO work out.

Here's the point I want to get across....

So many people come to this site wanting to better themselves, and they get lost in the forums. They hear things about macros, keytones, cleanses, bulk and cut cycles, and they freak out... and I bet a bunch just simply give up.

A large number of people on here just simply want to get healthy. They are tired of being tired. They are tired of being overweight. They are tired of being ashamed of their bodies.

This message is for THOSE people.

BALANCE

B A L A N C E

As far as I'm concerned, you don't need to spend an hour on the treaddy and three hours on the weights 5x a week to get in shape.
Balance your eating habits (no you DON'T have to go crazy eg. paleo, cleanses, etc)
Balance your workouts (eg... I run - cardio - and I box - cardio/strength)
Balance your life (water, sleep, fun, work)...

You will end up looking great. It may take some time, but it will work.

It may take some time!

If you want to be RIPPED - then yeah, go nuts on the weights.
If you want to be super LEAN - then ok, go nuts on the treaddy, in the pool, on the road....

If you want to cleanse, fine. If you want to eat clean, great. But you don't HAVE to in order to get healthy.

IF you want to just simply look and feel good in your own body... please, please, PLEASE...

remember the word BALANCE.

Cardio is great for cutting fat (as long as you're not pumping it back into your diet)
Strength training (including body weight workouts like crunches, squats, pushups, planks) will add resilience to your body. It will help you from getting injured during your cardio.



Please don't give up...
You can TOTALLY do this!
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Replies

  • Wilson929
    Wilson929 Posts: 100
    This is why you rock girl. Love this! XOXO. :love:
  • Topsking2010
    Topsking2010 Posts: 2,245 Member
    Awesome post. Too many people spend hours in the gym and have no life.


    Thanks for the reminder to balance things out.
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
    Separated you say?

    On a serious note, the busting your *kitten* part is key. Intensity always trumps volume/frequency.
  • LesleeBeAlive
    LesleeBeAlive Posts: 504
    Amen.
  • SeaChele77
    SeaChele77 Posts: 1,103 Member
    :heart: I adore you!!


    The one thing that I tell people and remind myself is that what works for one person may or may not work for another. There is a very big learning curve to this "get fit, get healthy lifestyle" and its 'try this for a while' then "try that for a while' until you find the right BALANCE!! :) I have surrounded myself with amazing friends who have all given me their two cents on how to get to my "ideal" body. In the process I have become a runner! I now love to run, but I know the benefits of strength training as well. But my body composition is different than yours or the next gal - so my workout routine will most likely not give someone else the same results, but I'm happy to give my two cents on what worked for *me*! *edited to add: I am always seeking advice. I know I have a lot to still learn and each day I may incorporate something new to see how it may work for me. Never stop learning and educating yourself.

    The key is very much balance.

    *Find time to get your *kitten* off the couch and move - whether it be by walking, running, swimming, biking, picking things up and putting them down or all of the above. Just MOVE!
    *Eat well - can you have ice cream - sure....no one is saying to throw out all the things you love. But know that you will get full quicker and stay full longer with less junk. But junk is not the devil!!
    * Do your own research. Ask friends for support and opinions, but in the end - do what is best for YOU!

    Balance is indeed the key to success!!
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    Agree! For the average person looking to improve their lifestyle - balance and moderation will go a long way.

    If you want more specific results, those are available too. But don't put the cart before the horse :)
  • yankeedownsouth
    yankeedownsouth Posts: 717 Member
    Absolutely love this post! And I always need the reminder as I tend to be an "all or nothing," totally obsessed kind of person!
  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
    Everything in moderation, even moderation.
  • afadingmind
    afadingmind Posts: 23
    Look, if MireyGal strength trains AND does Cardio + Kickboxing and is able to have those freakin' awesome abs and muscles surrounding the rest of her body, she is obviously doing it right. Love you... you're awesome!
  • 2BhappyBhealthy
    2BhappyBhealthy Posts: 181 Member
    Look, if MireyGal strength trains AND does Cardio + Kickboxing and is able to have those freakin' awesome abs and muscles surrounding the rest of her body, she is obviously doing it right. Love you... you're awesome!

    Abso-freakin-lutely! Couldn't have said it better myself! Keep kicking *kitten* lady - awesome post. *thumbs up*
  • auroranflash
    auroranflash Posts: 3,569 Member
    Absolutely. If you have two hours to spend at the gym, don't spend them seated on the stationary bike, catching up on a magazine.

    Spend ONE hour at the gym, busting intervals on the treaddy or lifting heavy things and putting them down again, then spend that extra hour doing something you REALLY enjoy. Same or better results, less time, better quality of life.

    Get up and MOVE!!!

    Cheers to OP. Great abs, by the way. :drinker:
  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
    I love this. :flowerforyou:
  • danasings
    danasings Posts: 8,218 Member
    Great post!
  • bassmanlarry
    bassmanlarry Posts: 117 Member
    Great post. It's all too easy to get on here and get caught up in the forums and totally lose your original focus.
  • tubbyelmo
    tubbyelmo Posts: 415 Member
    Excellent, thanks for posting ;-)
  • BetterCrazyThanLazy
    BetterCrazyThanLazy Posts: 336
    Great post!

    But can I just hate you right now? Just for a littel bit? Your body is smoking!

    Ok, I am done hating... well... maybe not... :tongue:
  • Fat2Fit145
    Fat2Fit145 Posts: 385 Member
    GREATTTTT Post... thanks!
  • Rachlmale
    Rachlmale Posts: 640 Member
    What a great post! healthy is key :)
  • MireyGal76
    MireyGal76 Posts: 7,334 Member
    Great post!

    But can I just hate you right now? Just for a little bit? Your body is smoking!

    Ok, I am done hating... well... maybe not... :tongue:

    haha! Thank you!! :-D
  • NavyKnightAh13
    NavyKnightAh13 Posts: 1,394 Member
    What a great post!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this just made my day :bigsmile:
  • KrazyAsianNic
    KrazyAsianNic Posts: 1,227 Member
    :heart: love this post! Thank you for sharing this.
  • MommaKit79
    MommaKit79 Posts: 852
    AMEN SANDY!!!! THANK YOU!!!! LOVE THIS and it so speaks volumes!!!

    And yes, you are freakin AWESOME!!!! Thank you for being my friend on here!!!!
  • 12skipafew99100
    12skipafew99100 Posts: 1,669 Member
    Thanks. I needed this, especially today as the scale has not been my friends for 3 days.
  • BlairCottier
    BlairCottier Posts: 171 Member
    LOVE this post!! I have this exact saying on my facebook profile :) Do what makes you happy and healthy, If its a bowl of icecream every once in a while, fine, if its a glass of wine on the weekend great, if its running on the treadmill, even better! However, having 5 cups of icecream, 10 glasses of wine and spending 5 hours on the treadmill every day is NOT healthy (unless you do this as a living as a professional athlete maybe, lol). Everything in moderation. Find what works for you and keep doing it!! The key to being healthy is making sure that you find time for EVERYTHING that makes you happy, starving and obsessing is never ok. Thanks for reminding us what is really important!
  • rinnismom
    rinnismom Posts: 190
    i really enjoyed reading this blog. you've got the right mind-set and, yes, i've almost given up so many times by being overwhelmed with the forums.i think i'm going to make this my new mantra and reach my goals. i've struggled for a year and a half trying to figure out the right balance for me so i'm okay with the idea of "it may take some time." i would LOVE to be rocking a new body in 6 months but it's just not a realistic goal for me. so, again, thank you - i needed this reminder.
  • MireyGal76
    MireyGal76 Posts: 7,334 Member
    Thank you to all who have responded!

    It is totally a process. I'm going on year 4 now of pushing hard. I have crappy food days, feeling fat days, I just wanna give up and eat doritos days... Its called being human!

    Just don't give up!

    Maybe I say it too often, but those who get rich quick tend to get poor quick. Those that fight to build their wealth, they will be the ones to fight to preserve it!

    A lifestyle change is your wealth building... Massive weight losses over short terms are your lottery winnings.

    If you've won the lotto - HELL YEAH! Congrats!
    Just please, please, DON'T blow all your winnings on donuts! :-P
  • 58Rock
    58Rock Posts: 176 Member
    Ditto. Amen. Roger that. Work smart, eat smart, live smart.
  • Fit2befitZ
    Fit2befitZ Posts: 150 Member
    Great post!!! :heart:
  • snowmaniac
    snowmaniac Posts: 600 Member
    Awesome post my dear. :happy:
  • annepage
    annepage Posts: 585 Member
    I didn't realize balance was the key at first and am still trying to find the right balance for myself, but you are totally right.

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