Growing up I was an anxious kid. It’s part of the reason I started working out. It was a great outlet for me.When other things in my life felt out of control,at the gym, I was in control. I would plan my pre workout meal then follow the program I had planned for myself that day. I would always be a little more relaxed and clear headed for the rest of the day.  I was also addicted to the endorphin release that intense exercise provides. The more I trained,the better I felt. Like a lot of things in my life I tend to go overboard. I would train for hours a day, sometimes making multiple trips to the gym, Sore or not , I would not miss a workout. Now, as a teenager and twentysomething, I could get away with this mentality but eventually it did catch up with me. I wasn’t allowing myself to fully recover and I was noticing the effects. For one, I had plateaued. I wasn’t building as much muscle(muscle only grows at complete rest), and I was becoming irritable. My sleep was being disrupted,I was pushing friends away, and just did not look or feel healthy. I decided to take a break from training in my early twenties. I started going out every night,partying, eating whatever I felt like ,and having fun, maybe too much fun. I don’t regret this time in my life. It was a nice break from the regimen of training and it showed me that there were other things in life I enjoyed. Now it  was pretty tough getting back into my previous healthy lifestyle but I managed. I would still go out with friends but it wasn’t a nightly routine. I would workout most days at the same intensity I had before but now I would keep my gym visits to about an hour. I also started listening more to my body and not so much my ego. If I was sore I would take a day off and hang out with friends. As an adult I try to remember my past experiences and lessons and apply them today. Too much of anything, even healthy activities, can be bad. Internally the body has homeostasis,The body’s balance of temperature,blood sugar, and water. We should all strive to have this balance in other areas as well. Aim to be physically balanced. This means train hard but train smart. Focus on the imbalances in your body and weaknesses. Train often but don’t overdo it. Aim to be emotionally and spiritually balanced as well. If you find yourself getting stressed often, take a break. Get out in nature for an hour or a whole day and see if you don’t feel any better. Have fun with your friends and keep positive people in your life. The simple lesson here is exercise, like life, is all about balance.