Incorporating a healthy balance between workouts and your other life can be more challenging for some than for others. A common mistake that many people make is to set the bar too high when trying to achieve a balance. Your focus should always be on simply setting the bar a little bit higher than the day before, rather than setting the bar too high, which causes frustration and disappointment when you do not reach those unrealistic expectations. Understanding this concept can help you build towards your own balance with working out and relaxing.
Here are five ways you can stay balanced between workouts and life:
Tip 1. Know when enough is enough.
If you're not feeling well or if you've been working out too much lately, take some time off from the gym until you're feeling better or ready for more exercise again.
Tip 2. Make healthy choices outside of the gym too
Cook healthy and nutritious dishes at home instead of eating out. When snacking, eat fruits, veggies, yogurt or eggs rather than chips and candy bars (or whatever junk food might be calling your name).
Tip 3. Don't go crazy on super-hard workouts during times when work or school are really stressful
Save those big efforts for times when things are better overall — or at least not as bad as they were before. If your stress levels are already high and you have a lot to do, it's better to leave your workout for another day and focus on one thing at a time.
Tip 4. Make time for yourself
It's okay to take a break once in a while. Whether it's taking an hour out of your day to go for a walk or eating lunch at home instead of going out with friends, just make sure that you're taking care of yourself so that when it comes time to work out again, you'll be ready!
Tip 5. Know your limits
Don't push yourself too hard when it comes to exercise. You may think that doing more cardio will help burn more calories and therefore help you lose weight faster — but it doesn't always work that way! In fact, if you do too much cardio at once it can actually cause weight gain because your body will start storing fat instead of burning.
We're all human, and we all have dreams and goals that we want to achieve with our lives. The trick is to balance it all within our schedule, while still being able to live a healthy life. It's not easy, but if you stay dedicated, motivated, and put in the hard work (both physically and mentally), the results will speak for themselves. Just remember: progress over perfection! Because at the end of the day, you want your life to go on long after your workout has ended.
