I get asked a fair amount how I "do it".
How I can commit to my (aggressive) workout schedule and never falter, and then only eat picture-perfect foods made with nothing but health, rainbows, and sunshine all day and all night.
You want to know how I "do it"?
I don't. For real.
Life is all about balance and moderation - even when it comes to workouts and nutrition. I'm very up-front about the fact that about a fraction of what I eat makes it onto my social media pages. A fraction. (This girl's got an appetite like a teenage boy folks.)
I try to balance my life like this:
Weekdays:
- Nutrition: Clean and balanced: smoothies, salads, lean protein, veggies, whole grains with minimal sugar and booze
- Workouts: 2x cardio (usually SoulCycle) and 3x Pilates/Yoga
Weekends:
- Nutrition: I typically eat the way I do during the week but I leave room for indulging, going out to eat, dessert, and most certainly, wine.
- Workouts: I love to sleep in and get in a late morning run with boyfriend, a long coffee walk with a friend, or a SoulCycle class. If I can fit it in, a long yoga class is amazing when you don't have to rush off to something immediately after. But if I don't exercise all weekend? Just fine.
When we vacation, it's a holiday or a special occasion - I treat myself and I indulge in local specialities, wine, or homemade goodies. I don't think about it. I feel my best when I don't overdo the sugar, booze, gluten or dairy but I'm not opposed to every once and a while when the setting calls for it (or when I'm craving it). If someone makes their family's speciality, I'll try it, regardless of what's in it. If I've had a few I'm far more likely to reach for the cheese platter. I don't make a daily habit of it, but if it's there, (and if it's Mt. Tam Cheese), I'll probably have some (a lot.)
Case in point - I'm usually not one for donuts but there's a time and a place, like when you're dancing your face off at a close friend's wedding and there's a donut bar and you wash it down with a glass of Pinot in between songs. Not an every day thing, but hot damn it hit the spot in that moment.
I also love to exercise on vacation - for once, I'm well rested and I've got time. On a beach? I love to run barefoot in the sand. (And I love the breakfast that comes right after it.) In cities I love to explore local fitness classes or go for a run to really take it all in - I've found the best discoveries running through Paris and London, and my favorite route in the world is the Central Park Reservoir.
The key is to not beat yourself up for not eating "perfectly" all the time - in your every day life or on a vacation. So you downed multiple baskets of chips and one too many margs while out with friends? I bet it was a hell of a night with people you love.
You went to Hawaii and didn't move from your lounge chair for 5 days? You obviously needed a break. Traveled to Europe for a week and lived off of chocolate croissants, steak frites, red wine, pasta and gelato without consuming a single vegetable? You walked around the city rather than going to your gym and doing your routine workout? Congratulations - you're living.
Promise that green juice and your cardio conditioning class will be waiting for you when you get back.