Strike a Balance, Freak

Posted by Healthy Bitch Daily

There's no doubt about it: healthy bitches are hardcore.

But the truth is, an all-or-nothing approach isn't always the answer. Sure, it's worthwhile to kick your own booty at the gym and hit the books in order to ace a test, but it's also OK to dig on a little R&R every now and then.

Perfectionista Problems

Prior to my diagnosis with celiac disease in 2010, I spent a large portion of my life subscribing to a balls-to-the-wall approach. The same characteristics that
made me driven and motivated had also often left me unable to relax the rules. There was never room for a happy medium or “sweet spot” in my world. Exercise didn’t count unless it was done for at least an hour. If I was trying to minimize sweets, then they had to be completely wiped out of the kitchen—not a single granule in sight.

This, of course, led to a constant up-and-down effect throughout my way of life. Unable to maintain the harsh parameters I had set for myself, I would eventually fail at my master plan, caving an entire chocolate cake instead of taking the one or two bites I had wanted earlier in the week.

It was a recipe for disaster and I was the fuel to the so-called fire.

It wasn’t until I was able to admit to these patterns that I realized I was the root of my inability to maintain a healthy path. By setting these strict standards, I
was like a semi-trailer truck careening around a rather curvaceous road—it just wasn’t going to end pretty, sweethearts.

So, how did I find a lil' balance? I had to stand in front of the damn mirror and give myself a wake-up call, starting with: "Relax bitch."

Then, I got to work on these steps:

Stop approaching workouts like an audition for the Olympics. Yeah, we like to sweat it out like the guys at the gym, but it's OK if every workout is not a marathon sesh. Sometimes, all you have is 15 minutes. Do some squats, crunches and push ups, mix in some jumping jacks, and call it a day.

Seek a little bit of Zen in your life. If you're a full-throttle, grade-A busy bitch like me, then chances are you don't often grant yourself serenity. I learned the hard way that, yes, peace, harmony and all that shit are actually necessary in order to keep my life running at an even keel. Yoga, deep breathing and even essential oils, like lavender and chamomile, have helped me to chill out.

Don't go A-wall on a food group just for the heck of it. Sure, we're down with veganism and other dietary choices that are mandatory in order to be healthy—like food allergies and intolerances—but abandoning an entire food group without good reason is cray cray. For example, all carbs are not bad. Quinoa, brown rice, millet and buckwheat (don't be fooled by the name) are all gluten-free, delicious and packed with fiber and healthy nutrients. If you are seeking to make changes (i.e. reduce sugar intake), then make the swaps in small doses and don't nix it completely. Want to see a bitch go nuts? Take away all of her chocolate.

Much like the age-old saying that it’s important to “never say never,” my way of healthy living stems from the idea that there is not a one-size-fits-all prescription for achieving total wellness.

I wholeheartedly believe that it's important to subscribe to a way of life, not a temporary fix. This is the place where a bitch will find healthful bliss. The spot
where she can enjoy vibrant green juice and have her gluten-free cake too.

So, go ahead and take a chill pill, you freak. We'll all be here to cheer you on.

Image courtesy of Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Caroline Shannon-Karasik, Resident Gluten-Free ExpertCaroline Shannon-Karasik is the founder of The G-Spot Revolution , a gluten-free, healthy living blog built upon the premise that there is not a one-size-fits-all prescription for total wellness. Whether you call it your personal health "spot", or ooo-la-la recipe, that serendipitous life balance is yours to define –– and The G-Spot was created to help you do just that. Standing behind her mission to share health information through her writing, Caroline is a freelance writer for several publications, including REDBOOK and Breathe magazines. Follow her on Twitter @TheGSpotRev or read more at www.carolineshannon.com.