Moderation Motivation

Good Evening Internets!

One of my friends (the wonderful Montanna) asked for more motivational posts, so I’m going to talk about how I got to where I am and my philosophy on being physically active.

I think as a society we can be too serious when it comes to well… anything. Those that know me best know that I am my own worst critic as well.  We’ve been raised to embrace an “all or nothing” mentality rather than a “be easy on yourself” and “try your best” thought pattern. This lack of patients and understanding, I believe, has contributed more than we think to the majority of the population being physically inactive.

Serious Society?

I can use examples to explain this other than myself, but for the sake of credibility I will use my own experiences in the hopes to enlighten you a little further into the world of being active and how to stay healthily motivated.

I’ve always been a competitive person. I played every sport imaginable (but was never the best, which drove me nuts), I did every extracurricular activity, excelled in school and was popular. My dad has always said I go a million miles an hour. The value of “more more more” I was raised to adopt resulted in a very slippery slope when it came to my health especially around puberty.

During my teenage years I gained the normal healthy weight every other young girl experiences. For me, however, I wanted the ideal, I wanted to be the best. That dangerous way of thinking coupled with a family history of disordered eating ended me up in a very unhealthy place.

However, for me, this lifestyle was normal. Our society pushes for more all the time. Going to school for 8 hours, working for 4 hours then working out for 2 hours eating a salad and a banana was not only normal but desirable. I was complimented how awesome my abs were on a regular basis by friends and co-workers and told repeatedly that I should be a personal trainer.

Living life in the fast lane can take its tole

The problem with the “model thin body super woman” lifestyle though, is that it catches up to you eventually. You can’t run on empty and be expected to perform your best all the time. After graduating I was sick of being “Miss. So Damn Perfect” all the time, so I did what any other 18 year old would do. I drank my face off.

Not only did I party relentlessly, I also ate fast food like it was going out of style. Looking back on those years I almost did the other side of the equation to the extreme. I wanted to be the best at partying, and I was. I knew everyone downtown, I never waited in line.  I thought I was happy, but I was still miserable.

To make a long story short, I eventually decided to go back to school and get my personal training certification. Learning about the dangers of the way I had previously been living my life woke me up. I also learned that an all or none mentality is not healthy; it’s actually counterproductive in a lot of ways.

Byn Before and After

We tend to “overdo” or “underdo” things as a society, or at least that is my opinion. We beat ourselves up too much if we are not the best, we have not patients, no time and no room for moderation.  I like to pose the question “why?”  What is so wrong with going for a 20 minute walk instead of a 45 minute run?

Don’t get me wrong, I like to work to my potential, but I now know the importance and necessity of moderation. I’m not sure when this philosophy developed, I think it has the more educated I have become. Let’s look at a couple scenarios when it comes to moderation.

Scenario 1: The Sedentary/Overeater

Believe it or not, I used to be classified as one of these. I never worked out (except for dancing at the bar) and I loved my food. This resulted in an unhealthy gain in subcutaneous fat as well as distinct mood and energy changes.

I was not living a modest lifestyle. When one is sedentary they are neglecting the fundamental need our body has to be physically active we are living in an extreme, an extreme of being inactive.

It’s no surprise that over-eating is not being modest. I admit that I still struggle with this at times, as I do love my food. I heard an interview with the oldest man in the world (or former as he has now past) and he said the secret to a long life is never eating until you are stuffed. I think there is some truth in this.

Scenario 2: The Gym Rat

Ok so it’s no surprise that I love going to the gym. I’m a fitness instructor for fudge sakes. However, going to the gym/working out unnecessarily is just as unhealthy in my opinion as being sedentary. Why? Because you do not give your body enough time to recover, which it desperately needs.

For example, I am very cognizant not to overdo it while working out. If I pushed a little too hard, I take a day off. What is comes down to is being kind to your body and listening to what it needs. I know it sounds kind of cheesy but my body feeling good is much better than it looking good.

For example, right now I’m really working on my shoulder and hip flexibility because I’ve noticed I really need to focus on these areas after starting my new program. This is a feeling I have after getting to know my body over the years. As you use your body more this awareness becomes more salient. I think this is true health, being able to know what your body needs and when.
So rest when you need to… and don’t beat yourself up about it!

So I think I’ve gotten my point across. The moral of the story is we’re here on this planet for a long ass time. Doing too much or too little is going to catch up to you in the long run. So go out for a bike ride, do a couple lunges, have a glass of wine and some fish! Live life to the fullest by being modest.

Stay Strong

Byn