I am asked “why?” a lot. Why did you want to do a Fitness competition? Why do you do so much yoga? Why do you eat that way? Why do you get up so early to workout? Why don’t you have a piece of pizza?
Well the answer is crazy simple.. because it’s fun and it makes me feel good!
Really that’s it. Everything I do related to health and fitness goes back to those points. Of course somethings are more fun than others (i.e. eating a new fun healthy dessert versus 5:30am boot camps), but usually the things that aren’t quite as fun, are the things that make me feel that much better as a result.
A lot has happened since I fell of the ‘blogging on a regular basis’ wagon, but I think the biggest change has been my perspective and attitude towards what I do to be “healthy.”
Whether you just know me from the blog, or have put up with me for the last 26 years, you know that I’m not necessarily the best with that whole “balance” thing. I have a tendency to completely throw myself into my goals with blinders on to everything else, and make whatever sacrifices necessary (ironically health sometimes ends up being sacrificed). I don’t think this is necessarily a bad characteristic, it certainly has its time & place.. but that time & place isn’t ALL the time.
This is one of the biggest ways yoga has changed me. It’s taught me to, it must be said, “chill the f%*k out”! 
Photo Credit to Pure Nourishment
Moderation.. working on that evil word
I know a lot of you are, but for those who are not as familiar with yoga, there are actually what they call, “Eight Limbs.” The Asana, or physical practice, which most people think of as “yoga,” is actually just one of those limbs. One of the other limbs is the ‘Yamas’ or Moral Restraints, of which there are five. One of the yamas is Brahmacarya, which elaborates on the importance and benefits of moderation.
Of course this isn’t just referring to moderation in eating, drinking, sex, etc, but moderation with your extreme thoughts, feelings and actions. For me this is a big one, because that “all or nothing” mentality can be a hard habit to break. Now, in discussing moderation, I don’t mean being numb, but instead minimizing actions & feelings that don’t serve to benefit you, so you can instead spend energy on what is beneficial.
How it Relates
This is a notorious dieting problem, but also based in physiology. Monday’s the gym is usually packed with people trying to burn off their weekend fun. Well if you did go that crazy, a little extra gym time is certainly warranted.. but the gym seems to be much less crowded come Thursday. Then the cycle repeats. And ever notice after you eat a lot of rich sweet food you tend to crave savory & salty (I seem to always want cheese.. pizza or quesadilla anyone?)? Well it’s because they’re at opposite ends of the extremes. When you go too far one way, you want to bounce back the other!
I have been queen of this! Planning everything perfect, and if a little piece falls out of place (I miss a workout, eat 2 cheats in a week instead of one), I freak out, go to the other extreme, burn out, more pieces fall, and I just bounce back & forth (you’re shocked I’m single right?! haha). But seriously, I know I’m not the only one. I read this quote recently and absolutely love it:
“When you are stuck in a hole, stop digging.”
I mean, that’s so obvious right? But it’s something I’ve seemed to miss time & again.
So What’s the Point?
So this post isn’t my answer on how to fix it, but instead my experience on how I’m getting better with it. Yes part of the answer is Yoga, but it’s also ‘not Yoga.’ As I’m learning more about yoga outside of the asanas, and apply what I learn on the mat, in the real world, the more I know that although Yoga is a big piece, if that’s all I do, and obsess about it, I’m just taking myself to another extreme.
I suppose this post was a really long way of describing the slogan up above in the new header.. “there are no rules to this thing.” Well that’s not true, there are two.. to do things that are fun and make me feel good! And the good thing is, that’s always going to be changing. A couple months ago doing nothing but yoga was what I needed, a couple years ago, prepping for a fitness competition was the perfect fit. There is no one right way to be fit & healthy, for me or anyone else, so there’s no need to stress about trying to find it!
There are 25 more letters!
Fun Links
We’ve never met and I’m not sure if we will ever meet, but our thoughts, lifestyles, training, and views on living a healthy life are very similar. I am also “all or nothing” with life, food, and training. Moderation is a hard word in my vocabulary, but I’m learning day by day, both in my training and eating. No one said it was easy. We learn every day! Have a wonderful “lazy” Sunday!
Twitter: NourishedFit
says:
Thanks Katie, and I hope you are having a beautiful Sunday too! And I hope we do meet one day.. if you’re ever down in Austin, definitely let me know!
Love this!! Finding that love for yourself that enables you to do what you need to do is beautiful. What an inspiration! <3
Thank you for your post. It is amazing how words can sometimes appear out of thin air and it is exactly what you need to hear at that time. I, like you, can sometimes put my health on the back burner while I dive head first into something. Thanks for planting the word moderation in my mind.
Yoga is amazing at what it reveals. A few yrs ago I thought it was a great “workout” but then a teachers words changed everything. She said, “offer your practice” and from that point forward I
knew the physical benefits of yoga were just the icing on the cake.
Twitter: NourishedFit
says:
Oh I’m so glad! Don’t you just love that?! It amazes me every time and I just end up giving a big “thanks universe!” I’ve had similar experiences with teachers saying something in a certain way, or perhaps in a slightly different way, and it suddenly just clicks!
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this!!! I am an all or nothing person. It wrecks havoc on me sometimes. Now, I am trying to find what I enjoy, and making life fun. Mixing things up, not going by routine all of the time. Changes in life are good, and I need to embrace them!
Twitter: NourishedFit
says:
Thanks Katie! It really is challenging, and sometimes I fall into my “extreme ruts” when I least expect it, or it almost sneaks up on me. I think I’m learning to be more aware of that, but I guess it just takes time
this really hits home for me. i’m really trying to learn how to do something just for fun rather than having to go “balls to the walls” with everything!
Twitter: lamoothiegirl
says:
I always love hearing other people talk about trying to find moderation. I seek it. My husband always says that I dive into something 100% and it’s true. I have to watch this- thanks for sharing your story. I’d love to hear more about the yoga you were talking about (another post?)
Twitter: NourishedFit
says:
Absolutely! I’ve been a little restrained talking about yoga.. but not really sure why. Maybe because I tend to get really cheesy about it because I love it so much, and it’s something I feel I know so little about, because there’s so much to learn! haha, wow, I’m not really making sense. But I definitely plan to talk more about it!
I normally don’t comment on blog posts, but this is truly very beautiful, and I felt compelled to let you know! I’m so happy to see that you’ve found (are finding) your balance! Hope all is well in Austin
Twitter: NourishedFit
says:
Thank you so much, that really means a lot to me! It certainly is a work in progress, but I’m ok with baby-steps
Great post Alyson – and I really enjoyed learning that little bit about yoga. I don’t much about it at all.
(Do post more about it!! Don’t be shy because you’re head-over-heels for yoga, go on and gush. If anyone thinks that cheesy they can leave. I think its fabulous to have a passion.)
I’m happy to say I’ve come a long way with the moderation and balanced approach to health and fitness, it took a long time for me to relinquish my taste for extremism and perfectionism. But it’s good to keep working on, when it falls into place it feels ohsogood.
Much love,
Georgie
LOVE!!! People always ask me why & how as well & all thru the years. Fitness has been my thing for a long time & I have done different things over the years BUT it is just things I want to do & like to do & I have found ways to eat that I am fine with BUT I always tell people that say I don’t like this or that or the gym or running… YOU KNOW WHAT – you don’t have to do the standard line of what people think of as exercise – find things you like to do & do them. Simple as that!
I’m glad you have such conviction and stick to your goals! If someone was eating three cheeseburgers in the middle of McDonald’s, I probably wouldn’t walk up to them and ask, “Why?” Just live your life doing what makes you feel happy and that’s all that matters! For more tips on eating and living healthy, please check out our blog runningwithmascara.com
Twitter: NourishedFit
says:
Thanks Jennifer! And you’re already in my Reader
I came across your blog through Tea baggin’ it, and really like it! I really connected with this post because I can relate to the “all or nothing” mentality that makes me struggle with moderation. Given that this is a characteristic you have, how do you change diets? I’ve been on a relatively low carb diet for six months now, and every day I promise myself to switch to something more balanced, but I cannot for the life of me eat a plate of oatmeal because I’ve become so fixated on a certain way of eating. Any tips?
I am wrestling with this question myself. Why do I do the things I do? Why don’t I eat sugar or grains anymore? Why do I train at CrossFit so often? Why do I take it so personally? Seeing your reply helps me put my own answers into perspective. Also, I follow Gym Jones, a hardcore gym that seems to have roots in CF, taken to an entirely new level. One of the trainers answers the Why question as well, from a rather different perspective than yorus. And yet I enjoy reading and am very much inspired by both of your posts.
He basically says:
“too many times i have been asked why. why i train so hard*, why i work so much, why i don’t relax more, why i don’t go out and “have fun”
simply: i wish to become more than i am.
not only wish, but will. but work.
i am willing to pay the price.”
Source: http://station515.blogspot.com/2011/06/suffering.html
Again, I enjoy seeing the different perspectives offered by the two of you. Perhaps one day I will figure out exactly what my own answer should be.
Twitter: NourishedFit
says:
Thank you so much! I’m definitely going to check that out. My perspective has changed a lot in the last few years, and yoga has played a big part in that. Actually one of the eight limbs of yoga is about self-discipline but it takes a different approach. I still bounce back & forth between this superior feeling I think comes natural with “being hardcore” but then I think why really am I enjoying this? Am I enjoying it? And I often realize I’m doing it more for egotistic reasons than anything else. I figure there are so many athletic and healthy things I enjoy doing that I might as well have fun! Of course what’s fun changes all the time, but I think that’s ok