Balance is something that is spoken about a lot, but something that is not wholly understood. First of all, there is no universal balance. I can’t sit here and tell you what a balanced life looks like for you. Balance is so incredibly personal that it’s something you need to establish on your own.
If you’ve watched or listened to our podcast, you’ll know about the regular ‘off-plan meal of the week’. You may notice that, sometimes, only a couple of our coaches or guests take part and others don’t. This is because balance has a different meaning to each of them. It’s a concept that is entirely dependent on what your goals are and what you want to gain from life. If your goal is to compete in a bodybuilding show, like a couple of our coaches, your balance will not look the same as someone who is aiming to lose a few kilos prior to a holiday… and that’s completely okay.
The only thing that truly matters is aligning YOUR actions with YOUR goals. So, first, you need to establish what balance looks like for you. Then, you need to execute. How do you do this? Here’s our balance blueprint…
Finding your balance
ASK YOURSELF, ‘WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO ME?’
Knowing what you value in life is essential for finding your balance. Is winning a bodybuilding show more important to you than going out for a curry every week? Would you prefer dropping a few kilos before a holiday or would you find more enjoyment in going out for drinks with your friends at the weekend? None of these ‘would you rathers’ are bad. But, you need to know which options are of more value to you. Once you establish your values, it’s time to set your goals.
SET YOUR GOALS
Now that you’ve established your priorities, it’s time to set your goals. Do you want to get in shape for a holiday? Do you want to compete in a bodybuilding show? Do you want to just generally get stronger? Do you want to maintain a healthy lifestyle?
It’s crucial that you are realistic with your goals. It will be difficult to form a healthy lifestyle balance if your goals are not realistic. For example, you can’t put on 10 kilos of muscle in a week. Don’t be afraid to push yourself, but don’t eliminate realism as a result. The more realistic your goals are, the healthier and more sustainable your balance will be.
Linking back to the first point, it’s also fundamental that your goals reflect what is important to you. If drinking with your friends at the weekend is more important to you than competing in a bodybuilding show, then setting the goal of competing in a show doesn’t align with your current values. Align your goals with what YOU want.
DON’T LET ANYONE TELL YOU WHAT YOUR BALANCE SHOULD LOOK LIKE
The key thing to take away from the previous sentence is balance is about what YOU want. In a world dominated by social media, it is easy to think you want to do something because everyone else is doing it. Just because someone else’s idea of balance is not having a ‘cheat meal’ for 20 weeks, doesn’t mean that should be how your balance is measured. Equally, if someone is out drinking every week, that doesn’t take away from your balanced lifestyle of living on meal prep. You have control. You have the power to decide what balance should look like for you.
Once you’ve established what balance looks like to you, it’s time to execute.
EXECUTING YOUR BALANCE
STRUCTURE IS YOUR BEST FRIEND
This point is self-explanatory. Without structure, having any form of a balanced lifestyle will be very difficult. Plan your gym sessions, plan your social outings, plan what you’ll do at work or university. If you have structure, there is certainty that balance will be executed.
DON’T MAKE EXCUSES
Balance is achievable. If your goal is to lose weight, but still go out for occasional meals with friends, it is completely achievable if you commit, plan and execute. Don’t make excuses. Instead, make it happen.
SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE SUPPORTIVE
This point intertwines with point 3 of finding your balance. Everyone’s balance is different. You might have accepted that, but the people around you might fail to understand that balance looks different to each individual. You have chosen a path that best supports your goals, that’s your balance. So if the people around you don’t understand that, it’s time to put energy into people who do understand. Surround yourself with people who support you. Don’t let anyone make you feel guilty about committing to your goals.
If you take on all the points mentioned above, there is no doubt that you will find your balance, allowing you to achieve your goals, whatever they are. Like I said above, we speak about this topic a little more in our podcast episodes. You can listen to Onecast on Spotify or watch it on YouTube. If you have any questions, or need help establishing or executing balance, get in touch with one of our coaches.
