Having Fun in Moderation

Moderation is one of my mottos in life. This morning, I was really thinking about how important moderation is to me. As a high energy person with a somewhat addictive personality, I find myself constantly learning new ways to do things that I enjoy in moderation, like going out with friends, having a glass of wine, or working out. I was chatting with my mom this morning and we agreed that we often enjoy going out more when we do it less often. It’s just more of a treat this way. (I think I may be growing up a little in my 20s but I’m sure I’ve got a long way to go! :))

Good habbits are difficult to keep. There are definitely certain things that I do when I’m eating healthfully and working out. I’m a better daughter, friend, and girlfriend when I’m healthy. I call my mom more. I’m a better listener. These simple characteristics are what life is all about. I read a great post on Quora yesterday where a user said life isn’t about pleasure. This phrase really spoke to me. Life isin’t about the pleasure you get from eating chocolate, drinking wine, or eating pizza.

I’m feeling a little philosophical today if you can’t tell. 😉 (I actually never took a philosophy class in college- boo.) I read so many articles and blogs about eating better and working out more and I am constantly looking for ways to help inspire myself and others to stay on track with all of these goals. It’s definitely not easy but I think that patience and some thinking helps a lot. I like to think about how good I feel after a hard workout or how content I feel after eating a healthy dinner. At the same time, it’s important not to obsess over these goals. From my experience, constantly checking the scale or swearing off carbs never work. To me, this is why moderation is so crucial. We all should work to find our own sense of moderation in life- enjoy the little things without getting too carried away.

Next time you feel yourself slipping from your goal, whatever it may be, think of something better to focus on.

So my goal is to have a dessert but not devour the entire plate. If I focus my thoughts on other things, like how short the satisfaction from sweets really lasts, then I will be less likely to over indulge. Moderation.

And when in doubt…

And with that, I close with my own updates! Yesterday, I went out to Mellow Mushroom with friends and enjoyed a Hawaiian pizza. It was delicious! I highly recommend Mellow Mushroom to all pizza lovers. Because we were going out to dinner and having a fun night, I didn’t sweat missing my workout. Pun intended 😉 (I’m such an English major nerd!) 😎

This morning, I woke up feeling ready for a workout.

Some of my best workouts happen after I’ve taken a little time off. I hit the gym and did 10 minutes of the elliptical followed by 10 minutes of treadmill running. I finished up and came back to my apartment to shower, pack my lunch, and get ready for the day. Happy ‘hump day’ everyone!

Here’s a great article my mom sent me about focusing on your body. Enjoy!