Be Kind To Yourself

What does a healthy lifestyle mean to you?

We live in a world full of different beliefs and opinions, so one person’s answer to that question could be completely different to somebody else’s. The internet, particularly social media, is plastered with all sorts of information on exercise and nutrition. Everyday we see at least one ‘brand new’ diet advertised. Whether it is low carb, high fat, low GL, macrobiotic, carb cycling, gluten/grain free, slimming world or herbalife (don’t even get me started on that) our brains are bombarded with conflicting information. The same goes for exercise – weight lifting, fasted cardio, marathon running, insanity, cross fit, yoga or interval training – which way is the best way?

There is no right or wrong answer, despite what you may read. Everyone’s bodies and minds respond in different ways. The most important thing is that you are getting the right balance. Both a balanced diet and a balanced exercise programme are incredibly important. Having a good diet 80% of the time (I will explain what my idea of a good diet is in a blog post soon to come) but enjoying some treats 20% of the time is still healthy. Doing a mixture of weight training and cardio with some stretching, like yoga, is what most of our bodies need. We also need to factor in time to rest as that is when our muscles recover, not to mention our minds. But the crucial thing is that you find the balance that you enjoy.

It is far too easy to think that you are doing everything wrong, and it is even easier to scroll through Instagram or Facebook and compare yourself to others that seem to live the perfect healthy lifestyle. The point I am trying to make is that we shouldn’t be so hard on ourselves, everyone has their own journey to take. Being healthy doesn’t happen overnight, but each little change we make is a step in the right direction. If we get lost and take the wrong path, it isn’t a disaster, we just need to carry on – it is part of the journey.

Keep it simple, and be kind to yourself.