Stop the obsession, cutting out one food is not the answer!

Balance isn’t sexy.  It isn’t gut flippingly exciting, tabloid fodder, the stuff made of reality tv or the talk of the town.  Extreme diets, world record breaking athletic achievements, exercise programs built for gladiators, or the latest photos of skeletal celebrity frames are the news that catch our attention.

Everywhere I look someone is swearing off a whole food group, starting an all consuming detox, taking on an extreme fitness event they haven’t built up towards, substituting meals for juice, or deciding that from now on they’re going to be ‘completely different’.  But how long does that last before they careen back into the old unhealthy habits that spurred their desperation in the first place?  I say it’s time we stop the continual dramatic swing between deprivation and over consumption, and start focusing on sustainable, healthy, balanced living.

As I’ve said before, balance is not dramatic and gut-wrenching.  It won’t be found in reality TV or tabloid press and it’s probably not even worth mentioning when gossiping with friends.  Balance is more the slow, quiet, falling into place of everything where it should be.  It’s about gradual, sustainable changes and a constant slight tweaking to maintain.

Is it time you gave up the food and exercise extremes and instead found a healthy balance that makes you happy?

Read Mia Freedman’s excellent post Does anyone eat anything anymore?

We’d love to hear your thoughts…

Related posts:

• Junk food as child abuse? Controversial ad may cause more harm
• Week 4 – Health & Fitness Blitz – Improve your relationship with food
• Week 2 – 6 Week Blitz
• Don’t diet – Change your thinking about food instead
• Preventing Emotional Eating

Posted in: Fitness, Mind body, Nutrition by healthy on 15th February 2012