By Kristine Ottobre

Over the Christmas period while visiting home and catching up with family and friends one thing I got told a lot was, “well I think you need a balance”.

The definition of balance in the dictionary reads as;

1. A state of equilibrium or equipoise; equal distribution of weight or amount
2. Something used to produce equilibrium; counterpoise.
3. Mental steadiness or emotional stability; habit of calm behaviour, judgment, etc.
4. A state of bodily equilibrium: He lost his balance and fell down the stairs.

So in saying this…does eating healthy the whole week and then binging on every type of food you can put in your mouth sound balanced?

Does consuming copious amounts of alcohol to where you lose control of sense of self, morality or your actions sound balanced? Does the sense of guilt over your actions off going overboard sound balanced?

If I read the above it sounds like my lifestyle is in perfect balance and it is the things I love and enjoy that keeps me balanced mentally, physically and emotionally.

Is it because I care about what I put into my body that makes me unbalanced? Is it because I prefer to take time to cook and prepare healthy meals that not only benefits my health goals but also assists me in managing my time and professional responsibilities?

Maybe it’s because I love to feel energetic, strong and mentally focused, and squeeze as many things as I can in a day to help me move forward with my goals. But should I apologise for wanting things in life that you just have to work hard for?

When did Pizza and a Bag of Chips become so important that one thought they could never enjoy their life if they had to give up those things? When did junk food take precedent over our health and what is good for us? When did we stop caring about what we put or not put into our bodies and just cared about how it made us look on the outside?

We take such good care of our material possessions so they maintain good condition and last longer, why are we so careless with ourselves? We spend so much time clothing and dressing the ‘outward us’ what does the inside look like?

I eat the foods I want and feel great! I enjoy the occasional wines with my friends without going crazy and still feel awesome enough to train hard, feel fresh enough to enjoy the day and not feel awful because I’ve blown all my money.

The lifestyle I have gives me the results I want all year round and with always more room for improvement. So tell me why I would give that up and waste time going backwards and live what others may say is a ‘balanced’ life.

Kristine