Day 9.168 Harmonic Balance

This zinger caught my eye like a road sign:

Pounds are lost in the kitchen;
Fitness is found in the gym.

We all know this to be true. The challenge has been, to this point, of finding harmony and balance in their synergy.

If I had a dime for every time I have heard someone say that the reason they work out so much is so they can eat whatever they like, I could buy a waterfront island mansion (with a great kitchen and a pain cave.)

In another timely article, the authors suggest that if we find joy in one important area of life (exercise) then the likelihood of needing it elsewhere (food) is substantially reduced.

For the sake of experimentation, let's mix and match a little.

We know that diet, specifically what and how much we costume plays a vital role in overall health and fitness. The minutia is identifying sugar, processed carbohydrates and saturated fat as the usual suspects.

We know that exercise, movement and strength training are key components of a functionally sound body with corresponding evidence that consistent increases in heart rate augment cerebral capabilities as well. A strong body and a strong mind. Pump that oxygenated blood to the brain good sir!

We know that these two work best together.

We highly suspect that with focused awareness this process plays out to impact our overall appreciation of the magical miraculousness it creates. In other words, when we are present and processing the complex componentry of a living system, such as ourselves, a natural by product of this awareness is happiness and joy. We appreciate the labor we are orchestrating as preventative maintenance for our frail and weak bodies. Put yet another way, we like to work, we like to feel ourselves working and we like to work the work.

The sum of these parts, the net takeaway bottom line becomes:

Eat the best as you can afford.
Move your body consistently.
Learn to enjoy the training process.

I have long preached that stress management is a big part of optimum health and fitness. So I will leave you with this new and improved abstract:

If you eat well, avoid sugar and hydrate properly, if you train, play, race, recreate every day and if you have fun doing it - you will take a giant step towards managing the stresses we all face in this day and age.


Find a joyful and harmonic balance.