So I started thinking about how much my health journey, for lack of a better word, has changed over the years. In 2015, I started my IG account in hopes of holding myself accountable with working out consistently and eating healthier. While I am super grateful that I started to focus on my health more, I realized years later that I wasn’t really embodying what it means to be healthy (IMO). Yes, you could say I was physically healthy, but mentally I wasn’t in a healthy place. I was constantly stressed and preoccupied with eating healthy, not missing a workout, etc. Basically, I was really lacking an overall balance and to me, that is what living a healthy lifestyle is – you aren’t so extreme one way or another and you are taking care of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally. That being said, here are some things I have stopped doing over the years that have helped me live a more balanced lifestyle. Also, if you do any of these, this isn’t saying that you aren’t living a balanced or healthy lifestyle. These are just things for me personally that I’ve switched up that have helped me to find a better balance and not get as obsessive as I once was.

-Not counting macros. I don’t regret counting macros because it really helped me realize that foods aren’t necessarily good or bad, it’s all about moderation. It also just made me more knowledgeable about what I was putting in my body in terms of making sure I was eating a more balanced diet (ie. eating enough protein). So all that to say, I’m very glad to have this knowledge as a tool but it doesn’t need to be something that my meals still revolve around.

-No set workout plan. To clarify, I don’t think having a set workout plan means you don’t have balance in your life lol. But for me, I started to only do workouts for “the results” vs. if I actually enjoyed them. Now, I focus on workouts that I actually enjoy and look forward to vs. just doing a workout for the physical results.

-Not looking at the menu ahead of time for “healthy” options. In the past when someone would invite me out for dinner, I would immediately look at the menu to see what healthy options there were. It started to get to the point that going out to eat would stress me out because I felt like it would mean I was “getting off track.” Now, I just order what I’m in the mood for. If I want a salad or something with greens/veggies then great or if I want pizza or a burger that’s fine too!

-No “ab” checks. During my “fitspo” days, like clockwork, I would wake up and immediately look at my abs in the mirror. If I was having a day where I was feeling leaner, I would automatically be in a better mood, and if I was having a more negative body image day, I’d immediately feel frustrated with my lack of results and progress. One day, I finally just said to myself – is this how I’m going to go through every day of my life? Obsessing over how I look in the mirror? It was then and there that I stopped doing
“ab” checks all together – it wasn’t putting me in a positive headspace and it was a terrible habit that I needed to let go of.

All that to say, you have to find what works for you and what you feel comfortable with but these are just adjustments that I’ve made over the years that have helped me get to a better, more balanced headspace.