Nutrition by Dawn - Blog

Falling off the balance beam

Life can be pretty hectic at times, can't it?

Between work, family, friends, hobbies, and all the other responsibilities we have, it's easy to feel overwhelmed and stressed out. I think we all know that life is a bit like a juggling act, with so many responsibilities and priorities competing for our attention. 

But with a bit of practice, we can learn to keep all those balls in the air and find a sense of balance that works for us.

When I think about balance I think about this incredibly embarrassing junior high school memory of mine.

We were doing a unit in the gym on gymnastics with the balance beam. For those of you who haven't ever checked out a real balance beam, it's about chest height off the ground. What we had to do was, run up, plant our hands on the beam, push up, throw your leg over it (kind of like straddling a horse) and then delicately balance on the beam without falling over.

On my first try, I ran up, and tried to push myself up, but I didn't push up with enough force so I didn’t make it onto the beam. But I was determined to next time. So when it came to my second turn I pushed up, threw my leg over, and threw it over with so much oomph that I kept going and landed flat on my back on the floor. 

So what did I learn from this?

Aside from learning how unpleasant junior high schoolers can be (because everybody laughed at me), I learned that we have to balance the effort we put into things. Balance the effort and attention we put in so that we end up in the sweet spot. The sweet spot is not when you can’t get up on the bar and it’s not where you fall off the bar, it’s somewhere in the middle. The middle is where the magic happens!

The second thing I learned from that is you have to keep trying. 

Earlier this week my kiddo tried something and it didn't work and you know what he did? He kept trying. We call it failing forward. Keep trying, keep moving forward, because every time it doesn't work out the way you want it to, you learn something from it, and you can take that learning and move forward.

Maintaining balance in life can be a challenge, especially when we experience setbacks and failures. It's easy to feel discouraged or overwhelmed when things don't go according to plan, and this can throw off our sense of balance and well-being. However, it's important to remember that failure is a natural and inevitable part of life, and it doesn't have to throw us off course completely. 

I often get people asking me about how they can stay balanced when eating out at restaurants WITHOUT restricting and depriving themselves and without completely disregarding their long-term health. It’s all about meeting in the middle.

So where do you meet in the middle? Where is that balance point? 

Recently I went for brunch with my son and I really wanted some tasty Pierogies which are basically mashed potatoes wrapped in pasta, not my idea of a balanced meal. And yet, I still enjoyed my Pierogies. To balance them out, I added some fresh grilled shrimp and some house-made sauerkraut. All of the nutritional aspects were balanced. The protein, fat, and carb aspects were balanced. The flavors were balanced and I was really happy. I really enjoyed the meal, I was very pleased with the portions and the flavors and how I felt afterwards. This is a great example of how you can bring balance into your dining out.

I went out, I enjoyed it, I had great food and I still served my body, my soul, and my brain. So one way that you can balance is to go out to a restaurant and create a meal that meets your own criteria. And remember that it’s ok to ask for changes to what’s on the menu - after all, it’s your meal and you should enjoy it!

Things like this are what we're going to be teaching in our new program called 100 Days of 1%. Launching in the next couple of weeks, so stay tuned for that. In the meantime, check out the 28 day jumpstart program to start your journey to a balanced life today.

Balance is an ongoing process, and it's something that requires practice and effort. But by prioritizing self-care, setting realistic goals, staying present, and seeking support when needed, you can create a life that's grounded, resilient, and full of joy. Yes you can!