Two of the best ways to bring balance to your life!

We’re all seeking balance… this feeling that we can manage our time and energy in a way that means we’re in flow; productive, happy and in tune with ourselves and others. Or at least that’s my definition of balance. I’m curious, how you would describe it?  

Here are two ways that have helped me bring balance into my own life: 

1) A practice of being with your mind and feelings before doing anything

2) Reducing the amount added sugars 
 

It pisses me off that mindset work doesn’t count as work. 😡 I am my best self when I spend at least 5 minutes every day “getting my head on straight.” I’ve tested it! I always get a little funky when I don’t have that sacred time. 

When I watched the Quarterbacks show on Netflix, they shared what Patrick Mahomes does before a Chiefs game. The majority of it was mindset… the music he listened to, the things he told himself and how he interacted with his teammates and family. 

Yet in our daily lives, we barrel into most things. Spending time on mindset isn’t a priority because it feels like it’s taking away from productivity or other “more important” responsibilities. Or perhaps it’s too difficult to sit still with yourself and no other inputs…? 🤔 

I think the single thing that has helped me pursue and accomplish my dreams is a practice that in the moment can seem useless. I let my mind wonder. I ask myself what I’m thought looping about and what is trying to “come out.” I address the negative beliefs, the self attack, and the unhelpful thoughts. 

Then I look for beliefs and thoughts that ARE helpful. I remind myself of my worthiness; how I’m winning; and especially what I’m grateful for. 

I riff on what is hurting or frustrating, bask in what is special or rewarding and give myself permission to pay attention to my own self without trying to solve or fix anything. I let myself be. 

This practice prepares me for REAL life. It creates a subconscious compass for how I show up and  ultimately brings balance into my day-to-day life. 

Think about it – everything in life is better with a little warm up!!!! 

So why don’t we treat our own selves that way??? 

My favorite thing is when I go back and re-read what I’ve written during warm up time. I found notes about becoming a health coach and recently I discovered not one, but TWO, different places where I wrote out an outline of my new online training program (more to come on that… it’s in a soft launch phase 🤩). 

What I wrote became real. 

But this doesn’t have to be heavy or about accomplishing big things. I set intentions for weekends when it comes to food and alcohol. I’ve written letters to clients before a coaching call. I visualize how I want to show up for a workout or a run.    

The practice of being with my thoughts and feelings allows me to use my mind ON PURPOSE! 

You’re going to think thoughts anyway, why not harness the energy and direct your mind? 

Schedule in the warm up, the prep time, the little bit of friction that always comes with starting something. 

I guarantee this practice will help you feel more balanced.

… and now, my thoughts about added sugar! 

 

There was a point in time when I saw sugar as an absolute evil. I’ve since shifted to thinking about food in a more neutral way… nothing is good or bad, but does it serve me or my goals? 

I was low carb for a long time so I saw all starches and grains as “sugar” because that’s essentially what happens in the body. Potatoes turn into glucose just like a cookie would. BUT there’s a whole bunch of other good stuff that our bodies get out of eating potatoes (yay for gut health!!!). 

In the last few years, I re-introduced carbs, eating oatmeal and sweet potatoes and bananas and that’s worked really well for me. 

What I didn’t stray from was paying attention to ADDED sugar!!! New government regulations were passed to make food manufacturers note on the label how much added sugar is in the product. It can be eye opening when you start paying attention! 

Here’s a simple rule to consider – don’t eat it if it has more than 5g of added sugar. 

Or total up sugars throughout the day and stay under the recommendation of 9 teaspoons (36 grams) per day for most men and 6 teaspoons (25 grams) per day for most women and children over 2. (from the American Heart Association). 

The average adult gets about 17 teaspoons of sugar each day — almost double the limit for men and triple the limit for women!

This one shift could result in hundreds of calories erased from your diet.

Notice I didn’t say banish all added sugars, but why do we need so much???? I’m ok with eating for pleasure and celebration, I’m talking about what happens every day. On a personal level, I have a square of dark chocolate 88% cacao after dinner and I’ve taught my kids to look for the sugar count on the labels too.     

Check out this graphic about how the added sugar adversely affects your health, also from the American Heart Association (and I do find it interesting that this is promoted by Sweet Leaf, a company that produces stevia products… always check the source with anything nutrition). 

Historically, every decade we eat more and more sugar. There is a direct correlation between the rise of sugar intake in the last century and the increase of chronic diseases, like diabetes! Think about it… people enjoyed desserts in the early 19th century, but did they eat Chips Ahoy, Skittles and drink sodas every day? 

In 1822, the average American ate in 5 days the amount of sugar found in one of today’s 12-ounce sodas (from the USDA Agricultural Research Service). 

Look at the label for Oreo cookies – 3 cookies is 14 grams of added sugar. Or ⅔ cup of Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey is 32g of added sugar (38g total). A chocolate chip Cliff Bar is 16g of added sugar.

All this sugar is creating an imbalance in our bodies and in our minds. It makes our blood sugar go up and down like a roller coaster. And if you’re starting your day with added sugars – check your coffee creamer!!! – then you’re setting yourself up for quite an unpleasant ride. 

Also, all the excess sugar changes our palettes and creates cravings for more sugar. When I do a Real Food Challenge with people, I often hear how overly sweet food tastes after not eating processed foods for a week!

Yes, natural carbs can raise blood sugar too (an apple for example), but unless you are insulin resistant then the body has ways to keep you balanced! It can also be useful to eat fats and proteins with or before carbs to help keep blood sugar in check.
 

If you think about it, both of these tools (a mindset practice and keeping sugars under a certain amount) are all about managing our inputs. You can’t always control what’s happening around you, but you can decide what you’re going to allow into your body and how you spend time with your mind. 

Balance is elusive and ever changing. Creating practices and standards for yourself are ways to stay steady. I read this quote the other day, “Nothing is wrong—whatever is happening is just ‘real life’.” Tara Brach

If something really is wrong, then use this practice to help bring forth change, otherwise life is ALWAYS going to happen. You can’t wait for balance, you have to make the space for it and create it for yourself. 

I’m so curious what you think about developing your own mindset practice and what that would be like for you, please let me know, just hit reply and write me back!  And if you start counting up sugar, what do you notice??? 

May you define balance for yourself. May your palette find pleasure in what’s real. May you see yourself as a deliberate creator. 

Many hugs,
Coach Laura

P.S. I had a lot of fun testing my actual balance doing a crazy exercise move with kettlebells and single-leg push ups. It even surprised me! Check out the video on Facebook or my reel on Instagram and I would love to have you follow me. 🥰