Prep For A Well-Balanced Life
Written by: Dahlia Gutierrez (IG @dolly_ah)
The hardest part about life is balance. Life goes up and down through good times and bad times. Like when it’s a piece of cake and then you’re stuck between a rock and a hard place. This is why we are always working to maintain as much balance as possible. It is the same with fitness. We have good days at the gym and hard days at the gym. Sometimes we make good food choices and sometimes we treat ourselves to some extra goodies because we deserve it.
In the beginning, it seems easy to incorporate the prep lifestyle into your daily life because it was something new and exciting. You wanted to see what kind of results you could achieve and how you would size up on the stage with the judges. It becomes easier the more often you experience it but the reality is that it won’t always go smoothly. Other obligations can get in the way such as work, school, friends or even family. It becomes a test of how well you can handle the pressure of maintaining a well-balanced life.
Sometimes you will need to decide what aspects of your life will get more attention and effort than others. This is one of the main reasons why having balance in life is difficult. Competing requires a lot of effort but so do the other things in life you have to do.
The most important thing to remember is that your actions should support the goals that you have in mind. If you set a goal to hit a new PR in the gym but then skip the gym more frequently to go out with your friends, it’s clear that your priorities are elsewhere.
The second thing to remember is self awareness and self care. We want to be able to do everything and make everyone happy along the way, that we forget to look after ourselves. Know your limits and it will become a lot easier to make decisions that can best benefit you.
Finally, the last thing to remember is sacrifice. The reason we have to make so many decisions in the first place is because both options tend to be appealing but we can only afford to pick one. So when you are on prep with 6 weeks out from a show but it’s girls night this weekend and you choose to stay in, it will not only show your priorities but that sacrifice will be repaid to you in the form of a trophy at your show. In the end it will be worth it.
Eventually, the juggling act of a well-balanced life gets easier but it takes effort. Hopefully these tips can help you when life tries to test you. All you have to do is be a pineapple – stand tall, wear a crown, be sweet on the inside and tough on the outside.
