Finding the balance
A common misconception in society is that being healthy is only attained by intense physical exercise & dieting, using strict disciplines & calculated methods for short term benefits. While these do play their part to a degree, there’s more to it than unsustainable meal plans, heart-pounding workouts & bland juice drinks. If you’re familiar with this, it’s likely that you’ve ended up ‘burning out’ or losing motivation at some point. To avoid this, we believe that being healthy is in fact obtained by finding balance in life & listening to your body.
What do we mean by that? Well the combination of physical, mental & emotional well-being is invaluable during your quest to reach your fitness goals. This may be easier said than done, but it’s important to ensure you’re not burning the candle at both ends. If you feel that you may be doing so, or simply want to know more about finding the balance, online person trainer & nutrition coach Oliver Anwar has some advice:
Why is it important to strike a balance between achieving your fitness goals & living a healthy, balanced lifestyle?
“Finding the balance is the only way you’re going to sustain it in the long run – adherence should be number one priority. This can only be achieved through having balance; recovery days between training sessions, meals that satisfy cravings & time off for certain periods.”
How do you know If you need to take a break due to fatigue, injury or feeling run down?
“You may start to feel niggles when performing certain exercises, lack enthusiasm while training & may find that you’re not making much progress. If that sounds familiar, it’s time to take your foot off the gas, reduce your training volume & lower the intensity. This allows the mind & body to recover, so you’re ready to go again.”
If you need to review your diet, hydration or nutritional needs due to cravings or physical effects how should this be approached?
“I tend to adopt the 80/20 principle when it comes to nutrition. This means 80% of the time I try to eat healthy, nutrient dense foods & the other 20% I eat for my cravings. This particularly allows me to enjoy social events with friends & family.”
In terms of hydration, it’s important that you’re drinking lots of water, especially on warmer days as we lose fluids through sweating. I recommend at least 4 litres of water per day for my clients.”
If you need to look at wellness aspects such as sleep & mediation, due to fatigue or mental well-being, where’s the best place to start?
“I believe the best place to start is tracking your sleep, see how many hours you’re getting & adjust from there. Most people are getting less than they need & it’s underestimated for the longevity of your health & well-being. My five tips for getting better sleep are:
- Go to bed at the same time each night
- Minimise caffeine intake after 1pm
- Sleep in a dark room
- Have a warm bath before bed
- Try to not use your phone an hour before bed
Additional strategies for wellness
Meditation is a practice that’s been used for decades. One popular form is Yoga & it’s great for recovery while finding the connection between mind & body. You can read all about Yoga in our blog here.
Another popular strategy for enhancing your mental well-being is mindfulness & our partners MIND can tell you everything you need to know about it here.
