18
Fitness Wisdom Wednesday: Turning Indulgence into Moderation
I saw a preview for Julia Robert’s new movie “Eat, Pray, Love” the other night and in one scene, her character is shown indulging in pizza in Italy; throwing all no-carb diet restrictions to the wind. The movie, by the way, is based on the book by Elizabeth Gilbert about a newly-divorced woman on a quest for self-discovery around the world. I won’t give too much away for those who want to see it.
Nevertheless, this preview made me think about indulgence…
It’s no secret that we are an indulgent society. We are constantly in need of more … more food, more money, more time off work. I mean, who doesn’t want just a little more dough to pad the bank account? However, I think if we lived life in moderation, we’d all feel a bit more fulfilled.
Moderation also translates to living a healthy lifestyle. Fitness experts agree that moderation in diet and exercise can lead to desired results. We don’t need to starve ourselves or log hours on end at the gym to get into shape. In fact, eating too little or over training can actually have adverse effects on your quest for a fitter body, including slower metabolism, which could lead to weight gain; insomnia; moodiness or irritability; prolonged muscle or joint pain and even muscle loss. Balance your diet and exercise regimens to reap the true rewards of weight loss.
Follow the 80/20 rule when it comes to your diet. Eat a balanced diet – preferably a clean diet (read more about clean eating here) – 80% of the time, but take that 20% to enjoy the occasional (note I say “occasional”) treat, whether it’s a slice of pie for dessert or an alcoholic beverage. If we don’t indulge just a little we’ll be prone to binging later!
As for exercise, shoot for 5 to a maximum 6 days of moderate to vigorous activity a week. Your muscles need rest to repair, rebuild and strengthen. It may be hard for fitness enthusiasts to imagine taking time off exercise, but fitness experts say you will see welcome gains.
So let’s move forward with “moderation” in mind and see if we can’t all live a happier, healthy life! Until next time …
Cassie is the Communications Manager for efi Sports Medicine/Total Gym and a published fitness writer.
